Austin – After a two-week quorum break that shut down the first special session, Texas House Democrats are expected to return to the state Capitol on Monday.
The first session ended without any legislation passed. Within hours, Governor Greg Abbott called lawmakers back for a second round, outlining 19 agenda items ranging from redistricting to youth camp safety following the deadly July floods in the Hill Country that killed at least 37 children, many from Camp Mystic.
At the heart of the standoff is redistricting. State Republicans are pushing to redraw Texas’ congressional maps to give the GOP a better chance of winning five additional U.S. House seats, a plan backed by President Donald Trump.
“This is about runaway Democrats failing to do their duty,” Abbott said.
Democrats left the state in protest, calling the maps racially gerrymandered. State Rep. Gene Wu, who represents Houston, said Democrats would return if Abbott prioritized disaster relief over political power.
“We have said time after time after time that if Governor Abbott takes care of the people of Texas first, we will be back,” Wu said.
Meanwhile, Democrats argue their walkout has sparked a nationwide movement. California Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled his own proposal for redistricting last week that could add five Democratic seats in the U.S. House. Unlike in Texas, the plan must be approved by voters in November.
“We can’t stand back and watch this democracy disappear district by district all across this country,” said Newsom.
Abbott dismissed the move as political theater.
“It’s a joke,” said Abbott. “He’s posturing his position for presidency and doing nothing more than that. He’s all talk and no action.”
Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered in Austin and Chicago under the banner “Fight the Trump Takeover.” Among them were Texas House Democrats voicing opposition to Trump’s push for redrawing congressional maps.
“We need to bring the fight to Trump and his minions. Here he is demanding five more seats from Texas. That’s not some inside game,” said Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas).
Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he secured a temporary restraining order against former Congressman Beto O’Rourke and his political organization. The order would block O’Rourke from financially supporting Democrats who left the state to break quorum.
The Senate Redistricting Committee held a public hearing on the proposed map on Sunday and is expected to continue testimony into Monday. Once the House reaches quorum, lawmakers there will also begin debate.
With Democrats expected back in Austin, the redistricting plan is likely to pass this time around.