Texas Home Republicans on Monday voted 85-6 to authorize the Home sergeant-at-arms and associated officers to trace down and civilly arrest Democrats who fled the state in protest of GOP redistricting efforts.
“The sergeant-at-arms and any officers appointed by her are directed to ship for all absentees whose attendance is just not excused for the needs of securing and sustaining their attendance beneath warrant of arrest, if needed, till additional order of the Home,” mentioned Republican Rep. Dustin Burrows, the speaker of the Texas Home of Representatives.
Shortly after the vote, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott mentioned he ordered the Texas Division of Public Security to search out and arrest the Democrats who fled the state, an order which can stay in impact till they’re “accounted for and introduced again” to Austin.
The warrants, nevertheless, don’t have any energy outdoors state strains and it is unclear to what extent, if in any respect, Texas regulation enforcement might and will coordinate with their counterparts within the related states.
Later Monday, Abbott mentioned he had requested the Texas Rangers to research the Democrats who left the state for potential regulation violations — together with bribery for soliciting funds to assist their effort.
“Studies point out that many absentee Texas Home Democrats have solicited or acquired funds to evade conducting legislative enterprise and casting votes. Below the Texas Penal Code, any of these Democrats who solicit, settle for, or agree to just accept such funds to help within the violation of legislative duties or for functions of skipping a vote might have violated bribery legal guidelines. Additionally, it may very well be a bribery violation for some other one who affords, gives, or agrees to supply such funds to fleeing Democrat Home members,” the governor mentioned in a press release.
The transfer comes amid a showdown over a Republican-led effort, backed by President Donald Trump, to create a brand new congressional map with management of the U.S. Home probably at stake.
Abbott had given Texas Home Democrats a deadline of three p.m. native time on Monday to return to the statehouse for the particular session or threat dropping their jobs. Texas Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton prompt Democrats who left ought to be arrested and forcibly introduced again, although he later admitted that will be a “problem.”
Paxton mentioned in a press release late Monday afternoon that he’s “ready to do the whole lot in my energy” to carry the Democrats accountable for abdicating their duties within the Home and for having “sacrificed their constituents for a publicity stunt.”
The response from the Texas Home Democratic Caucus to Abbott’s risk was, “Come and take it.”
Texas Home members who left the state have been slated to carry numerous occasions all through the day Monday in Democrat-led states.
The proposed congressional map might create as much as 5 new Republican seats and assist the get together preserve management of the Home within the 2026 midterm elections. Consideration of the invoice had been set for Monday, however could not proceed because the lacking Democrats denied a quorum.
The State Capitol is seen on July 21, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Brandon Bell/Getty Photos
Democrats maintain occasions in New York, Massachusetts and Illinois
The primary information convention with Texas Democrats on Monday was with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in Albany. Hochul’s message for Texas Home Democrats was, “You’re on the best facet of historical past. And you are not alone.”
“As I mentioned, historical past will decide us and the way we reply to this second. However right here in New York, we is not going to stand on the sidelines with the timid souls on the sidelines who do not care and won’t make investments their coronary heart and soul into this battle. It is a conflict,” Hochul continued. “We’re at conflict and that is why the gloves are off. And I say, deliver it on.”
Hochul mentioned that she would search to disband or change New York’s unbiased redistricting fee by means of a constitutional modification in response to Texas — however admitted that doing so wouldn’t be attainable earlier than the 2028 election. Below former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New Yorkers handed a constitutional modification in 2014 prohibiting partisan redistricting.
Texas Home Democrats who’ve gone to Massachusetts for the Nationwide Convention of State Legislators summit will maintain a press convention in Boston on Monday afternoon. Then, Texas Home Democrats who’ve gathered in Illinois will maintain a press convention with Democratic members of Congress in Chicago on Monday evening.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul holds a press convention with members of the The Texas Home Democratic Caucus in Albany, Aug. 4, 2025.
ABC Information
Texas State Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat, spoke with ABC Information from Illinois and confirmed he plans to remain out of the state for the remaining two weeks of the particular session.
“To be gone from my household, from my state, is just not a contented factor for me. However why I’m doing it’s because the Republicans try to vary the principles of the sport halfway by means of the last decade,” Talarico advised ABC Information Correspondent Jay O’Brien.
Talarico additionally characterised the Republican redistricting effort as a ploy by Trump to rig the election.
“It’s all-time low for individuals like Greg Abbott and Donald Trump. Sadly, I’ve come to count on nothing much less from them, however it’s nonetheless immoral and disgusting and outrageous, and we must always all reject it no matter our political get together,” Talarico added.
Abbott, Paxton threaten motion towards Democrats
Abbott, in his warning to Texas Home Democrats, mentioned leaving the state in protest amounted to “abandonment or forfeiture of an elected state workplace.”
The governor mentioned in the event that they did not return by 3 p.m. native time on Monday, he would invoke Texas Lawyer Normal Opinion No. KP-0382 to take away the lacking Democrats from membership within the Texas Home. He additional went on to say the lawmakers who left “may additionally have dedicated felonies” by fundraising so as to pay the $500 effective they threat accruing every day they’re absent.
“Our fellow Texans are being let down and never getting the flood aid they want, as a result of these Democrats have absconded from the accountability, and I imagine they’ve forfeited their seats within the state legislature as a result of they are not doing the job they have been elected to do,” Abbott mentioned throughout an interview with Fox Information on Monday.
Paxton, in a social media submit, wrote that “Democrats within the Texas Home who attempt to run away like cowards ought to be discovered, arrested, and introduced again to the Capitol instantly. We must always use each device at our disposal to search out those that suppose they’re above the regulation.”
What’s at stake
The brand new congressional map was proposed by Texas Republicans following a push by Trump for maps extra favorable to Republicans to assist the get together preserve the bulk within the Home in 2026. At the moment, Home Republicans are working with a slim majority.
Trump has mentioned he desires Republicans to select up 5 new seats in Texas and others across the nation. Democrats have slammed the transfer and mentioned it dangers hurting minority voters.
Requested by Fox Information why he’s pushing for brand spanking new districts, Abbott mentioned it’s partly to dismantle “coalition districts” (the place racial minority teams collectively make up many of the inhabitants) and to redraw districts primarily based on political issues.
“Gerrymandering could be performed or drawing strains could be performed on the premise of political make-up, as in Republican versus Democrat, and there is nothing unlawful about that,” Abbott mentioned. “After which while you take a look at the result of the latest presidential election, all these districts which can be being added are districts that have been gained by Trump.”
Texas’ redistricting effort has prompted some Democrat-led states to research related strikes to “battle hearth with hearth,” as California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has mentioned. Newsom is contemplating calling a particular session on redistricting in November to make the state’s congressional map extra Democrat-friendly. Newsom mentioned Monday that California Democrats have or are almost performed with a draft of a brand new map.
“No matter they’re doing [in Texas] will likely be neutered right here within the state of California, and they’re going to pay that worth,” Newsom mentioned.
Because the redistricting battle heats up, a Home Republican will introduce laws to ban mid-decade redrawing of congressional maps nationwide.
California GOP Rep. Kevin Kiley will formally introduce the invoice on Tuesday which can “nullify new maps adopted by states earlier than the 2030 census, together with any which can be adopted this 12 months.” The invoice’s future stays unsure, nevertheless, because it’s unlikely to be backed by Home Republican management.
ABC Information’ Lauren Peller contributed to this report.
