Chicago – August 04, 2025
On Sunday, Texas Democrats left the state to stop the Texas House from voting on new congressional maps that Republicans hope will help them win more U.S. House seats in the 2026 elections.
This move could lead to fines or other penalties for the Democrats, as Texas Attorney General has warned that they could be arrested for not attending the legislative session. However, because refusing to attend is a civil violation, they cannot be jailed, and it’s unclear who would enforce any warrants.
The Democrats said they made this decision to stop Republicans, who control the Texas government, from changing the congressional map in the middle of the decade, following guidance from former President Donald Trump. Gene Wu, the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, explained, “This is not a decision we make lightly, but it is one we make with absolute moral clarity.”
In order to do official business, the Texas House needs at least 100 members present out of 150. Democrats hold 62 seats, and at least 51 members are leaving the state. This is the second time in four years that Texas Democrats have fled the state to block a vote. The last time was in 2021 when they went to Washington, D.C. to oppose new voting rules.
