Texas Governor Greg Abbott has threatened to remove Democratic lawmakers from office after they fled the state to block a Trump-endorsed redistricting plan ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The dramatic move comes after more than 50 Democratic members of the Texas House left for Illinois and New York on Sunday, aiming to deny the chamber the quorum needed to vote on new congressional maps. The maps, drawn by Texas Republicans, would add five GOP-leaning seats—a move that could solidify Republican control in the U.S. House, News.Az reports, citing AP News.
“This truancy ends now,” Abbott declared, giving the Democrats until Monday afternoon to return or face efforts to strip them of their seats.
The walkout has sparked national attention, with Democratic governors like Illinois' J.B. Pritzker and California's Gavin Newsom publicly supporting the Texas lawmakers.
“This is not just rigging the system in Texas, it’s about rigging the system against the rights of all Americans for years to come,” Pritzker said during a press conference with Texas Democrats in Carol Stream, Illinois.
Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows confirmed the House would convene as scheduled Monday, but acknowledged that all options were on the table if quorum was not met.
Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu told reporters:
“We will do whatever it takes. What that looks like, we don’t know.”
Abbott cited a 2021 legal opinion by Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, suggesting courts could declare absentee lawmakers in violation of their duties and potentially remove them from office. He also alleged that some lawmakers may face felony charges for soliciting donations to cover fines.
Under revised House rules, absent members can be fined $500 per day. In 2021, similar walkouts delayed a vote on voting restrictions—but ultimately failed to stop them.
The quorum break has also halted votes on flood relief measures and disaster warning systems following deadly floods in Texas last month that claimed over 130 lives. Democrats accused Republicans of putting redistricting ahead of urgent state needs.
At the center of the conflict is former President Donald Trump, who is pressuring states like Texas to redraw congressional lines to boost Republican margins ahead of the 2026 elections. Trump is seeking to avoid a repeat of his first term, when Democrats regained the House just two years into his presidency.
While Republicans currently hold 25 of Texas’ 38 congressional seats, the proposed redistricting would tilt the balance further in the GOP’s favor.
