Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will begin trying to remove Democratic lawmakers from office Monday if they don’t return. Dozens of them left the state in a last-resort attempt to block redrawn U.S. House maps that President Trump wants before the 2026 midterm elections.
Abbott is taking a far more aggressive stance than the one he took in 2021. He swiftly warning Democrats that he will seek to remove them from office if they are not back when the House reconvenes Monday afternoon. Abbott cited a non-binding 2021 legal opinion issued by Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, which suggested a court could determine that a legislator had forfeited their office.
He also suggested the lawmakers may have committed felonies by raising money to help pay for fines they’d face.
“This truancy ends now,” Abbott said.
In response, House Democrats issued a four-word statement: “Come and take it.”
Background
Forty Fifty-one Democrats left the state on Sunday and fled to Illinois so they wouldn’t have to deal with the vote on redistricting. Ironically, Illinois is one of the worst gerrymandered states in the nation, which is why it goes left most elections.
The Republicans are trying to add five more seats through redistricting at the suggestion of President Trump. Four of the five new districts are majority Hispanic. This is not a racial move.
Republicans hold 25 of the 38 states. They are attempting to do what Democrats have done in states like California, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and so on.
A vote on the proposed maps had been set for Monday in the Texas House of Representatives, but it cannot proceed if the majority of Democratic members deny a quorum by not showing up. After one group of Democrats landed in Chicago on Sunday, they were welcomed by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, but declined to say how long they were prepared to stay out of Texas.
“We will do whatever it takes. What that looks like, we don’t know,” said state Rep. Gene Wu, the Texas House Democratic Caucus leader.
All the walkout does is delay the vote. In other words, it’s theatrics to show their base they are doing something so courageous that you have to vote for them again.
Why not just change the House rules to allow a quorum at the number of people present?
do it then, or did they return?
Talk is cheap Gov. Abbott! Just do it!
Only cowards run away. These cowardly DemonRAT bums prove the point. They have abandoned their state, districts, jobs, constituents, the Constitution, and worst of all, their self-respect. Just as in 1981, when PATCO air traffic controllers walked off their jobs, endangering the flying public, President Reagan fired them all. Governor Abbott, you must do the same with these cowardly DemonRAT… Read more »
I applaud Gov. Abbott’s plan to fine Democrats who have fled their responsibility to vote on redistricting. Also, I hope he arrests those Democrats who have taken bribes to leave the state. Their actions are anti-democracy. They are loathesome whiners. Do not give them an inch. Demonize and destroy them. That’s what Democrats would do to Republicans if they held the majority. I am… Read more »
Democrats doing what Democrats do; Dereliction of duty. They are Public Employees, not Dictators. If they don’t like what is being done to them, they shouldn’t have done it to others. They phucked over New Mexico, that is why we are fighting back. This a Constitutional Republic, not a Democracy. Loyal opposition does not open the door to Dictatorship. When… Read more »
There is no way Abbott has the backbone to do…anything but blather. I truly hope I’m wrong, but the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Abbott has been a hugely deceptive RINO his whole career.
You need to re-think where you get your information. Gov Abbot’s been a wonderful asset to Texans, and continues to be.