Once again, Texas Democrats have packed their bags and skipped town. This time, they ran from Austin all the way to Chicago.
Why? To block a redistricting plan backed by President Trump and Governor Greg Abbott.
BREAKING NEWS from TX Governor Greg Abbott:
“This truancy ends now. The derelict Democrat House members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the House reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025. For any member who fails to do so, I will invoke Texas Attorney… pic.twitter.com/lCg1LXSyum
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 4, 2025
Sound familiar? That’s because it is.
Back in 2021, more than 50 Texas Democrats pulled the same stunt. They fled to Washington, D.C., to avoid voting on an election integrity bill. Governor Abbott called special sessions and even threatened arrests to get them back to work.
That didn’t stop them then, and it hasn’t stopped them now. This time, the drama started during a special session called by Gov. Abbott in July.
The main reason for the session was to deal with deadly flooding in the Hill Country that killed over 130 people. But the agenda was expanded to include a new redistricting plan; one backed by Trump and focused on cleaning up the state’s outdated maps.
Instead of showing up to debate or offer solutions, the Democrats left town.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker welcomed them with open arms. He gave them shelter in Chicago and took shots at Trump, calling the redistricting effort “anti-democratic.”
According to The Washington Post (Aug. 3, 2025), Pritzker helped with logistics and even praised their walkout.
But back in Texas, patience is running thin.
Attorney General Ken Paxton says the state has the legal tools to bring the lawmakers back.
Thanks to a 2023 rule passed by the Texas House, absent lawmakers can be fined $500 for every day they skip work, and the Texas Supreme Court has already said civil arrests are allowed in these cases.
Gov. Abbott is also dusting off a rarely used opinion from 2021, Attorney General Opinion KP-0382, that says lawmakers who purposely block quorum may be seen as abandoning their office.
That opens the door for possible removal, though it’s not clear how far the governor plans to take it.
Democrats say the redistricting map unfairly targets minority voters. Latino and Black voting groups have already filed lawsuits, arguing the new lines weaken their political voice.
Some are also still fighting the maps drawn back in 2021, with a federal trial ongoing.
But Republicans see it differently.
They say the maps are long overdue for a fix and reflect population growth and migration patterns.
With more people moving to Texas – especially from blue states like California and New York – the GOP argues that the political map needs to be updated to match.
Supporters of the plan say the Democrats are just trying to stall. Even among some Democrats, the move is raising eyebrows.
Skipping town doesn’t change the math; it just delays the work Texans expect lawmakers to do.
Gov. Abbott has already said he’s not backing down. If he has to call more special sessions, he will. And if lawmakers need to be brought back by law enforcement, so be it.
At the end of the day, Texans deserve leaders who show up.
When over 130 people have died from floods, when the state is growing fast, and when voters need to be heard, it’s not the time for political games. It’s time for adults to get in the room and do their jobs.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
