Texas House Democrats Give In and Return Home

Texas House Democrats Return to Austin

Texas House Democrats are set to return to Austin on Tuesday after their recent showdown away from home.

To block special sessions focused on rezoning, these Democrats had sought refuge in more liberal states like New York and Illinois. They believe they’ve made their point by successfully halting the initial special session, which has brought attention to what they see as Republican overreach, as reported by ABC 13.

While the exact timing of their return is still unclear, they plan to focus on flood relief in the Hill Country when they do come back. On the second consecutive day, only 95 members showed up, leaving the House again without a quorum. Texas Speaker Dustin Burrows mentioned that if the stalemate persists until Friday, the current session will end, prompting the start of a new one.

The Texas Senate recently passed a new congressional map with a significant 19-2 vote, but that was after nine Democrats walked out. This new map alters the districts of Democrats, shifting representatives like Henry Culler and Greg Cassar into areas where former President Trump was favored during the last election, winning by at least 10.4%.

Currently, Republicans hold 219 seats in the House, while Democrats have 212, with four seats still vacant. Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has sought a court ruling to declare certain Democratic seats as vacant, accusing them of executing a “rebellion” from out of state.

Republicans have defended their proposed maps, noting similar practices in other states where Democrats have drawn favorable maps. California, for example, sent 43 Democrats and nine Republicans to the House after the 2024 election, a shift from 40 Democrats and 12 Republicans in 2022, according to Ballotpedia.

In New York, after mid-2022 adjustments, Democrats revamped Congressional boundaries, risking six of the state’s Republican-held seats. By the end of the 2024 election cycle, they had gained control of seven Republican seats, improving their overall position significantly.

Illinois also saw similar redistricting ahead of the 2022 midterms, dismantling two Republican seats. The state’s representation changed from 13 Democrats and five Republicans to 14 Democrats and three Republicans after the 2020 census adjustments, as noted by Ballotpedia.