On Sunday, August 3, Democratic state legislators in Texas collectively announced their departure from the state to prevent a Republican-led redistricting bill from being voted on. This move aimed to disrupt the legislative process by not meeting the required number of lawmakers for a quorum.
President Trump has expressed support for this redistricting plan, stating that he expects it to add 5 House seats for the Republican Party. Currently, the Republicans hold a slim lead in the House with 220 seats compared to 212 seats for the Democrats, with 3 Democratic seats vacant due to the death of lawmakers.
Democratic State Representative James Talarico posted on social media platform X, saying: “If you are watching this video, then I and my Democratic colleagues have just left our beloved Texas to break the quorum and prevent Trump from gaining power over redistricting.”
Democratic House leader in Texas, Gene Wu, also emphasized in a statement that this decision was not made lightly but with a strong sense of moral conviction.
Wu stressed, “Indifference is complicity, and we will not participate in Trump’s attempt to seize power from the grassroots communities that have fought for decades to empower.”
Several Democratic lawmakers mentioned that they were heading to Illinois, where Governor J.B. Pritzker of the Democratic Party resides.
Under the current district lines, the Republicans currently hold 25 out of the federal House seats in Texas, accounting for about two-thirds of the state. In the presidential election last year, Trump won Texas with a ratio of 56% to 42%.
According to the U.S. Census data, states are required to undergo redistricting every ten years, but Texas updated its district map only four years ago. Although redistricting within 10 years is rare, it usually occurs due to a change in the party leading the legislature.
The redistricting effort in Texas is led by the Republicans, and it is included in a special legislative session agenda that will also discuss funding needed for flood prevention following a sudden flood on July 4.
The Republicans state that this redistricting is a response to the concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice about certain districting in Texas.
The Justice Department pointed out that several Democratic-majority congressional districts in Texas, known as “coalition districts,” where multiple minority voters are concentrated in the same district to form a majority, may violate the Voting Rights Act. The Republicans argue that it is legitimate both legally and policy-wise to address the district map adjustments during the special session.
Additionally, President Trump and members within the Republican Party support the redistricting plan, believing that adjusting some district structures before the 2026 mid-term elections will solidify the Republican majority in the House.
For weeks, the Democrats have been threatening to use the “leaving the state” method to prevent the passage of the bill. Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office has not commented on the Democratic lawmakers’ leaving the state action.
According to the Texas Constitution, the State House has 150 seats, and a quorum requires two-thirds of the lawmakers to be present for legislative proceedings. In other words, at least 100 lawmakers must be present for the legislature to proceed with bill voting.
Currently, the Democrats hold 62 seats in the Texas State House. If at least 51 Democratic lawmakers leave the state, they can prevent the legislature from reaching the required quorum and consequently block the redistricting bill from passing.
Texas Attorney General and Republican Ken Paxton stated on social media platform X, “Texas should use all means to catch those who think they are above the law.”
He said, “Those Democratic House members trying to flee should be found, arrested, and immediately escorted back to the State House.”
However, under Texas state law, refusal to attend a legislative session is considered a civil infraction and does not constitute a criminal offense, so Democratic lawmakers will not be imprisoned for leaving the state.
This is not the first time the Democratic Party has paralyzed the legislature with a “leave the state” move. In 2021, Texas Democrats also traveled to Washington D.C. to prevent an election bill, engaging in a 38-day standoff with the Republicans there.