Texas House Democrats leave the state in a move to block legislative business
Texas Democrats Flee State to Avoid Redistricting Vote
The Texas House of Representatives is at a standstill as Democrats have fled the state to avoid a vote on a newly proposed congressional map. The walkout, a tactic used by Texas Democrats repeatedly over the past 155 years, is part of an ongoing battle over redistricting that heavily favors Republicans.
State Rep. James Talarico (D-Austin) is among those waiting out the quorum-break in Illinois. Many of the missing Democrats have fled to Democratic strongholds such as New York and Illinois. The special legislative session was called by Gov. Greg Abbott to address the deadly Hill Country floods that killed at least 136 people last month, but the attempt by Texas Republicans to redraw the congressional map has become the primary focus.
The fight over the map may just be getting started. Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton has suggested that they can arrest fleeing Democrats, but it may be challenging to get cooperation from local law enforcement in the Democratic states where they have fled. Governor Abbott has ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to locate, arrest, and return missing Democrats.
Historically, Texas Democratic quorum breaks have been effective at delaying or drawing attention to issues but have rarely prevented eventual passage of legislation. Notable successful quorum breaks include the "Killer Bees" in 1979, who hid out in a garage for four days to block changing the Texas presidential primary date, and the "Texas Eleven" in 2003, who stayed in New Mexico for over a month to protest a redistricting plan.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has stated that the fleeing Democrats should behave like adults and return to their duties. President Trump has openly advocated for the bill, which would add five GOP-leaning districts. Governor Abbott and Republican leadership have threatened legal and political repercussions, including potential expulsion and felony charges, but such remedies have rarely been enforced.
Ohio is redistricting this year due to a 2018 state law, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul held a press conference in support of the Texas Democrats. Hochul indicated that her state may explore redrawing its electoral map, similar to the tactics used by Texas Democrats. Rep. Ana Hernandez warned her colleagues in other states that the tactic of walking out could kill democracy.
A plan must pass the state House before the state Senate has its say. The special session ends on Aug. 19, and Texas Democrats, including Rep. Hernandez and Armando Walle, plan to stay out of Texas until then. Political scientists characterize these walkouts as last-resort messaging tactics rather than guaranteed legislative stops.
- Governor Abbott's order for the Texas Department of Public Safety to locate and arrest the fleeing Democrats presents some ambiguity, as cooperation from local law enforcement in Democratic states may be difficult to secure.
- The Texas Democrats' flight to states like New York and Illinois to avoid a vote on the newly proposed congressional map has garnered support from other states, such as Ohio and New York, which are considering similar tactics for their own redistricting processes.
- As the special legislative session progresses, credit ratings agencies may assess the political instability in Texas and consider it when issuing ESG-related ratings for the state, given their focus on governance and political structures.
