Texas Democrats set plan to end nearly 2-week walkout over Republicans'
redraw of US House maps
[August 15, 2025]
By NADIA LATHAN and SOPHIA TAREEN
CHICAGO (AP) — Texas Democrats on Thursday moved closer to ending a
nearly two-week walkout that has blocked the GOP’s redrawing of U.S.
House maps before the 2026 election and put them under escalating
threats by Republicans back home.
The Democrats announced they will return provided that Texas Republicans
end a special session and California releases its own redrawn map
proposal, both of which were expected to happen Friday.
Democrats did not say what day they might return.
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott still intends to push through new maps
that would give the GOP five more winnable seats before next year’s
midterm elections. House Speaker Dustin Burrows has said that if
Democrats don't return the next time lawmakers reconvene on Friday, the
session will end and the governor will immediately begin another one.
Abbott put redistricting on the agenda at the urging of President Donald
Trump, who wants to shore up Republicans’ narrow House majority and
avoid a repeat of his first presidency, when the 2018 midterms restored
Democrats to a House majority that blocked his agenda and twice
impeached him. It is unusual for redistricting to take place in the
middle of the decade and typically occurs once at the beginning of each
decade to coincide with the census.
Texas House Democrats said in a statement that attorneys have told them
they must return to the state to “build a strong public legislative
record” for an upcoming legal battle against a new map.
“Now, as Democrats across the nation join our fight to cause these maps
to fail their political purpose, we’re prepared to bring this battle
back to Texas under the right conditions and to take this fight to the
courts,” said state Rep. Gene Wu, the House Democratic leader.
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Texas State Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, center, talks to Democrat
politicians from Indiana, in Chicago, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025,
before other Texas politicians arrive for a press conference as the
Texas Democrats continue to try to prevent a redistricting effort by
Republicans in their state. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune
via AP)
At the same time, the Texas Democrats want to wait until California
Democrats file their bill to redraw the state's maps, he added.
“We want to make sure the baton is fully in their hands before we
let go,” Wu said.
Texas Democrats, who are the minority in each chamber, fled to
Illinois, New York and Massachusetts on Aug. 3 to stop the
Legislature from passing any bills.
Abbott has asked the state's highest court to remove Wu from office,
and other Republican officials have threatened their arrest. U.S.
Sen. John Cornyn said he asked the FBI to assist Texas authorities
in locating the lawmakers, and Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked
13 members to be removed from office.
Lawmakers face fees of up to $500 each day they are absent after the
House adopted new rules in 2021 after a similar walkout over voting
restriction legislation.
Texas has 38 congressional districts, 25 of which Republicans hold.
In California, Democrats control 43 of the state's 52 House seats.
___
Lathan reported from Austin, Texas.
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