In a move reminiscent of their 2021 quorum break, dozens of Texas House Democrats are once again fleeing the state—this time to Illinois—in an attempt to derail a mid-decade congressional redistricting effort.
The redistricting plan, unveiled by GOP lawmakers, would create five new Republican-leaning districts ahead of the 2026 elections.
The walkout aims to deny the Texas House a quorum, effectively halting legislative business. New House rules allow for fines of up to $500 per day per member to be levied, though some Democrat lawmakers have suggested they will challenge this in court. Even if the fines are issued, they would amount to around $1 million per 30-day period, which could be covered by deep-pocketed Democrat donors.
In a statement, the Texas House Democrat Caucus declared the special session called by Gov. Abbott “over.”
Speaker Dustin Burrows fired back, posting on X, “The Texas House will be convening at 3:00pm tomorrow. If a quorum is not present then, to borrow the recent talking points from some of my Democrat colleagues, all options will be on the table. . .”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said, “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.”
As first reported by Politico, Democrats plan to land in Illinois later Sunday, where Gov. J.B. Pritzker has voiced support for their actions.
The House was slated to take up the new congressional maps when they meet on Monday.
