Houston congressional candidate Isaiah Martin, 27, was dragged out of the Texas Capitol during a chaotic committee hearing.
Footage circulating online shows the Democrat on the floor with a sergeant-at-arms on top of him in front of shocked onlookers. The moment came during a July 25 hearing on Republicans’ redistricting plans, which have been backed by the Trump administration. Critics argue that the plans will help the state GOP retain control of the state House in the 2026 midterm elections.
Martin spoke passionately against the proposed gerrymandering during the public comment portion of the meeting, refusing to stop when his allotted speaking time was up.
After ignoring a call to order, Martin’s microphone was cut off as sergeants were summoned to “remove the gentleman from the room.”
“History will not remember you kindly!” Martin said as he rose from his chair before continuing to shout, “It is a shame! You should all be ashamed!”
In the ensuing altercation, Martin and the sergeant fell to the ground, with the candidate falling again after being forced out of the door as another sergeant tried to block spectators from filming.
Following the chaos, Martin’s brother shared updates on Isaiah’s X account, claiming that the Democrat had been jailed for “resisting arrest.”
After hours with no information about the charge, Martin’s brother announced on July 26 that Isaiah’s charges had been dropped and he was set to be released from Travis County Jail.
“I’M FREE,” Martin posted on X after he was released. “The weak Republicans put me in jail for more than a day because they were mad I had the AUDACITY to call them cowards to their faces. If they think this will scare me, it won’t. To the question of if I regret what I did, the answer is absolutely not.”
The Houston native made quick work of getting back home and returning to the ongoing hearings the following day, and took a moment to flaunt his freedom.
“You Republicans tried so hard to silence me. You had me thrown in jail. And I wanted to come here to look every single one of you in the eye and let you know personally that you failed,” he said to the committee.
Alongside a clip of the moment, Martin shared a message: “Now we get to watch you squirm as THE PEOPLE rise up against you!”
In the run-up to the redistricting fight, Republican pollsters had suggested that the GOP could lose control of the state House, with the president’s proposed “simple redrawing” hoping to secure five extra seats.
Gov. Greg Abbott was reportedly “reluctant” to undertake a mid-decade redistricting, but Trump called him to push plans ahead, according to the Texas Tribune.
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