CHICAGO — Texas House Democrats who left their state to prevent Republicans from passing redistricting maps will take part in nationwide “Fight the Trump takeover” protest on Saturday.
Those Democrats, who are expected to return to Texas on Monday, continue to argue that Texas’ redistricting plans are unfairly taking place in the middle of the decade, instead of in conjunction with a national once-a-decade census.
The proposed Texas maps would add five Republican seats in Congress.
“It’s been really hard for the members to stay away from Texas, from their jobs, from their kids and families,” said state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, who’s also running for the lieutenant governor seat in 2026. “It’s also very expensive with the $500 a day fine. So some members just felt like we can make a commitment for one session quorum break, but we really can't do it indefinitely.”
Activists are holding more than 150 rallies in 34 states over the weekend to call attention to the Texas redistricting issue and President Donald Trump’s support for changing congressional maps. The goal is to send a message that “we see what Trump is doing, and we won’t stand for it,” according to a statement from organizers.
The Texas Democrats, and members of the party nationwide, were helped when California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his state would also redistrict in order to counteract Texas’ moves. On Friday, California presented its own redrawn map favoring Democrats. The ballot measure, which goes before voters in November, would take effect only if Texas Republicans follow through on their plans.
“Califorina coming on board gives us more options,” said Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu in an interview Friday. “If California passes a trigger bill, then there will be real incentive for Texas to not pass its [redistricting] bill.”
During the past two weeks, the Texas Democrats have met with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, whose team found them hotel rooms — they had to move once after a bomb threat — and a few members of the group also met Gov. Kathy Hochul in New York and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear via Zoom.
The Texans made two trips to California for key meetings in conjunction with Newsom pushing for his state to come up with its own adjusted boundaries for the U.S. House, potentially giving Democrats an edge in Congress in 2026.
Newsom’s move “changed everything,” said state Rep. Sheryl Cole, recalling the sacrifice of leaving her 87-year-old mother behind to watch TV coverage of Abbott threatening FBI arrest warrants. “It made a difference with the sacrifice.”
Her colleague state Rep. Diego Bernal put it more bluntly: “When we knew definitively that they were going to do something, it felt like wind. Like something was happening. You feel less isolated.”
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