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By Khaleda Rahman and Robert Birsel
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Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott has threatened to remove what he calls "derelict Democrats" from the state's House of Representatives if they fail to return by Monday afternoon.
The threat came after numerous Texas Democrats have left their home state and traveled to Illinois in an effort to prevent the state legislature from holding a vote that would approve Republican-backed redistricting maps.
In a letter to the Democrats, Abbott wrote: "Real Texans do not run from a fight. But that's exactly what most of the Texas House Democrats just did...rather than doing their job and voting on urgent legislation affecting the lives of all Texans, they have fled Texas to deprive the House of the quorum necessary to meet and conduct business."
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Why It Matters
Abbott's threat intensifies the face-off over Republican efforts to redraw the districting map in Texas to bolster the party's chances of retaining the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections. Republicans in other states facing significant battleground contests have looked to follow a similar path.
Republicans have a slim majority in the House and a slightly larger one in the Senate. Democrats hope to take back the House in the midterms, which have traditionally have seen the party that is not in power in the White House gain a number of seats.
During President Donald Trump's first term, Democrats picked up 41 seats in the midterms. Trump has backed Abbott's move to redraw the state map.
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What To Know
Abbott said in his statement that the Texas Democrats' absences were "premeditated for an illegitimate purpose...the specific purpose of abdicating the duties of their office and thwarting the chamber's business."
He said their action amounted to "an abandonment or forfeiture of an elected state office."
He added: "This truancy ends now. The derelict Democrat House members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the House reconvenes at 3.00 p.m. on Monday.
"For any member who fails to do so, I will invoke Texas Attorney General Opinion No. KP-0382 to remove the missing Democrats from membership in the Texas House."
More than 51 Democratic members of the Texas House left the state on Sunday, aiming to deny the chamber a quorum and prevent passage of the proposed Republican map before a scheduled floor vote. The Texas House requires the presence of at least 100 of its 150 members to conduct business.
With 62 Democratic members in the chamber, their collective absence can halt legislative proceedings.
Abbott had called a special session to address the flooding that killed 135 people last month in Texas Hill Country and the redistricting plan.
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Democrats have argued that if Republicans succeed in redrawing the Texas districts, Trump will push other states to do the same.
Speaking in Chicago on Sunday, Texas House Democratic Caucus chair Gene Wu said: "We're not here to play political games. We're here to demand an end to this corrupt process. Today is the day this corruption ends.
"If Donald Trump is allowed to do this, once again cheat and get away with it, there's no stopping this, it will spread across the country...and rip it apart."
Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker said that the Texas Democrats had no choice but to leave their state to block the vote "and protect their constituents."
"Let's be clear, this is not just rigging the system in Texas. It's rigging the system against the rights of all Americans for years to come," he said.
What People Are Saying
Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott said in his statement: "In addition to abandoning their offices, these legislators may also have committed felonies. Many absentee Democrats are soliciting funds to evade the fines they will incur under House rules. Any Democrat who "'solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept' such funds to assist in the violation of legislative duties or for purposes of skipping a vote may have violated bribery laws. See TEX. PENAL CODE § 36.02.
"The same could be true for any other person who 'offers, confers, or agrees to confer' such funds to fleeing Democrat House members. I will use my full extradition authority to demand the return to Texas of any potential out-of-state felons."
Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton wrote on X: "Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately. We should use every tool at our disposal to hunt down those who think they are above the law."
The Texas House Democratic Caucus said in response to Abbott's threat: "Come and take it."
Colin Allred, a former Democratic Senate candidate in Texas, said in a statement: "Texas House Democrats just did what this moment demands — they broke quorum to stop a blatant power grab. This wouldn't have happened without the thousands of Texans who showed up, testified, and refused to be ignored. You gave them the strength to act.
"This fight isn't just about maps — it's about power. When Republicans silence Black and Latino voters, they're not just rigging elections. They're rigging who gets health care, clean water, and a fair shot.
"Let's be clear: they don't just want to rig the vote. They want to use that power to rig the economy — to keep helping the wealthy and well-connected while working families get left behind."
What Happens Next
Texas Republicans are pushing forward in trying to pass the proposed redistricting maps, though any changes could lead to drawn-out legal battles.
The U.S. Supreme Court is already reviewing a dispute over redistricting in Louisiana, and earlier this year overturned a lower court's decision that ruled South Carolina's congressional map as unconstitutional.
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