A white nationalist power grab in Texas
Texas Republicans are doubling down on their corrupt drive to redraw state congressional districts mid-decade to rig 2026 congressional races in the GOP’s favor. They voted on Monday to issue arrest warrants for dozens of Texas Democrats who left the state to deny the legislature a quorum. As we saw over the weekend, Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to remove Texas House Democrats from office if they do not return for the redistricting vote.
Democrats replied, in effect, “Make our day.”
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu brushed off Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) threat to remove Democrats from the Texas Legislature after they left the Lone Star State in protest of GOP redistricting efforts.
“Frankly, Democrats say, ‘Come and take it,’” Wu told CNN’s John Berman in an interview Monday, referring to threats against lawmakers’ seats.
Texas Democrats are accustomed to bluster from the right. Besides, they are safely out of Abbott’s jurisdiction in multiple states.
Some legal scholars questioned whether courts would go along with any attempt to eject the absent lawmakers from office. The showdown over the past 24 hours was latest turn in an highly-charged partisan battle that has attracted national attention.
Democrats said Abbott’s warnings were bluster and said they were committed to staying away for two weeks, when the 30-day special session is expected to end. Republicans hold the upper hand because Abbott could call more special sessions, and Democrats have not said whether they have the wherewithal to repeatedly leave the state for months.
Abbott, who also launched a $750,000 digital ad campaign Sunday against Democrats, cited a 2021 opinion from state Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) in his letter to contend that courts could determine that Democrats had abandoned their duties and given up their jobs. That would allow Abbott to call special elections to replace them, he said.
Texas Democrats responded (The Guardian):
“We are not fighting for the Democratic party,” state representative James Tallarico said in a video message recorded at an airport. “We are fighting for the democratic process, and the stakes could not be higher. We have to take a stand.”
Most of the Democratic caucus absconded to Chicago, a city with a Democratic mayor and city council in a state with a Democratic governor and legislature.
Illinois governor JB Pritzker, who owns the Chicago Hyatt hotel, announced on Monday he would provide free rooms to the Texas Democrats for as long as they are out of state.
Princeton scholar and MSNBC contributor, Eddie Glaude, Monday afternoon called the GOP effort in Texas more than political corruption. It is “deeply racist” and a white nationalist power grab happening right before our eyes. Texas is 40% non-Hispanic white and 40% Hispanic, yet only 8 of 38 members of its congressional delegation are Hispanic.
Yet the Texas Tribune reports that in three of the five seats Republicans hope to flip, Republicans mean to make them more heavily Latino. “Texas Republicans are betting Latino voters will stick with them in 2026.” TBD.
Democrats get grief from their base for not doing enough to stop Trump in a 119th Congress when they lack significant leverage. Texas Democrats are doing what they can with what leverage they’ve got. Give them credit for it.
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