Politics / US News
Texas Democrats Set to Return as Redistricting Battle Intensifies
Abbott responded to the Democrats' return announcement by vowing no reprieve, stating, "There will be no reprieve for the derelict Democrats who fled the state and abandoned their duty to the people who elected them. I will continue to call special session after special session until we get this Texas first agenda passed."
Tommy Flynn
August 13, 2025 - Texas House Democrats, who fled the state to block a Republican-led mid-decade redistricting effort, plan to return this weekend after the first special session adjourns Friday, claiming they successfully derailed the process. Their departure denied the House a quorum, stalling votes on new congressional maps designed to add Republican-leaning districts ahead of the 2026 midterms.
The redistricting push, directed by President Trump to bolster GOP House majorities, targets creating five additional safe Republican seats by reconfiguring boundaries in urban areas like Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. Republicans argue it's necessary to reflect population shifts and ensure fair representation, while the effort follows the 2020 census adjustments but accelerates mid-decade changes amid narrow congressional control. Governor Greg Abbott called the special session initially for Kerr County flood relief, later adding redistricting, prompting over 50 Democrats to leave for states like Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York to break quorum.
Abbott responded to the Democrats' return announcement by vowing no reprieve, stating, "There will be no reprieve for the derelict Democrats who fled the state and abandoned their duty to the people who elected them. I will continue to call special session after special session until we get this Texas first agenda passed." He confirmed an immediate second session if the first ends without maps, with the same agenda and potential additions. House Speaker Dustin Burrows echoed this, planning adjournment Friday absent Democrats.
Attorney General Ken Paxton escalated pressure, filing suit to declare Democrats' seats vacant and seeking nationwide civil arrest warrants. On the return news, Paxton focused on enforcing accountability, including a motion to jail Beto O'Rourke for violating a restraining order by fundraising for the absent lawmakers' expenses. Paxton declared, "It's time to lock him up," citing O'Rourke's rally remarks defying rules and soliciting donations via ActBlue. O'Rourke denied wrongdoing, accusing Paxton of corruption.
With Democrats back, quorum will restore, enabling Republicans' majority to pass the maps in the second session, as the Senate already approved them with two Democrats present. Abbott remains committed to successive sessions until enacted.