Texas Democrats pushed back on the Republican effort to rewrite the state’s congressional map by leaving the state Sunday to prevent a quorum needed to advance the measure in the Texas House.
The redistricting, if passed, could potentially eliminate five Democratic US House seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections as Republicans hope to hold on to their slim House majority.
States typically redraw congressional district boundaries once every 10 years following the release of new population data from the United States census. A mid-decade revision of the map would be an extraordinary move – one that Democrats contend is a nakedly partisan effort aimed at bolstering Republicans prospects of retaining control of the House in 2026.
Two-thirds of the state House is required to achieve a quorum in Texas. Democrats in the legislature attempted the same move in 2021 to block a bill that would have imposed new voting restrictions. After that effort, new Texas House rules were put in place to fine members $500 a day if a member is absent, including “for the purpose of impeding the action of the House.”
Texas Republicans argue the move is necessary over concerns that the current maps are unconstitutional and racially gerrymandered. Democrats have said it would suppress the votes of people of color.
