Texas House Democrats are now in party strongholds around the country. Republican leaders are compelling them to return to Austin.
AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott has signed warrants to arrest lawmakers who left the state in a dramatic fight over redistricting.
Dozens of Texas House Democrats are now in party strongholds, including Chicago, Albany and Boston after they broke quorum Sunday, delaying a vote on a controversial new map that would give Republicans five more seats in Congress.
Democrats believe fleeing the state is their best option, though the Texas Legislature is currently at a standstill.
Representative Ann Johnson from Houston is one of many Democrats who now have warrants out for their arrest.
“This is not normal to redistrict. We’re not supposed to do this midway through the game; everybody resets the playing board at the beginning of every decade,” Rep. Johnson told our sister station WFAA.
Gov. Abbott announced he signed warrants for Texas DPS to arrest lawmakers and bring them back to the Capitol.
A Republican-led effort to redraw congressional districts changes Houston’s representation.
State House Representative Charlene Ward Johnson, whose district overlaps with Congressional District 18, also fled the state.
“My concern is, how are you taking that much effort to bring us in, to threaten lawmakers who are standing up for their constituents?” Rep. Ward Johnson said.
Texas Republicans are responding to the Democrats’ move. House Speaker Dustin Burrows read remarks after a quorum was not present Monday afternoon.
“To those who are absent, return now. Show the courage to face the issues you were elected to solve, come back and fulfill your duty,” Rep. Burrows said.
Some lawmakers have filed legislation to vacate the seats of any legislator who skips seven straight days without an excused absence, and Gov. Abbott has threatened to remove House membership from Democrats who fled.
What else can Republicans do? They can issue fines for lawmakers, remove office budgets and vacate parking spaces. Arrest warrants may not work as Texas DPS’ jurisdiction doesn’t extend beyond state lines.
It’s unclear how long Democrats may break quorum; KHOU 11’s political science expert believes breaking quorum may only delay the outcome.
“Democrats are probably still going to have to swallow these maps, I mean, kind of the fact is that legislatively there’s not much they can do to stop things unless they stay away forever,” Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political science professor, told KHOU.
The quorum break is one of the Democrats’ moves in this political fight.
“This is an exceptional thing, but it is the tool of last resort given to us by our founding fathers,” Rep. Ann Johnson said.