The Brief
The Texas legislature just started its second special-called session.
State Sen. Royce West spoke with FOX 4's Steven Dial about how Democrats can continue their fight against midterm redistricting.
Democrats shut down the first special session when they left the state on Aug. 3.
DALLAS - In the Texas legislature, the first special session ended abruptly Friday after Democrats in the House refused to come back and allow a vote on redrawn congressional maps.
Gov. Greg Abbott immediately called a second special session, but what happens now?
FOX 4's Steven Dial sat down with state Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas) to find out what the next steps are now that special session two is beginning.
Why is this session different from the first?
Sen. Royce West: What's different, is that America is aware of it, and it's not just a story that's gonna go away. And we're just in round two. This is a 12-round.
FOX 4's Steven Dial: You mentioned round two of a 12-round fight. We're about to have special session two. What changes?
West: Just like when Donald Trump called Georgia and asked, can you find 11,000 votes, he called Abbott and told Abbott that he needed five new Republican congressional seats. Us against Trump, and so they will win this particular round because they have the numbers here in Texas, but they will lose the ultimate fight because we do have allies in other states that are now aware of this and have basically said that if Texas decides to move forward with it, which they will, then they're going to move for it.
Should other states redraw maps in response to Texas?
Dial: Is that a good solution? I mean, just because Texas is doing it, we're going to do it.
West: Absolutely. I mean, you know, again, you've got to understand this, this isn't a fight that we were looking for, alright? This is a fight Donald Trump has started, okay?
And there's no way in the world that you can allow Donald Trump to do rigged districting and not respond to it. So you've gotta respond to him, and that's what's happened.
Dial: I appreciate your honesty that, I mean, at some point, the map is going to pass in Texas.
West: Sure, it's going to pass
Is the Democrat answer to redistricting increased voter turnout?
Dial: So is the response from Democrats turn out in the midterm election? Because that's the only way to.
West: What you're seeing is a lot of the old Democrats that no longer feel that camaraderie, if you will, with this new Republican Party will also be voting against some of the people in the state of Texas because they're doing the bidding of Donald Trump.
Now, let me say this to you. Democrats can't be to the far left on a lot of these issues anymore either. They won't vote for Democrats either.
They may very well stay at home as a result of that.
But as it relates to the issue that we're talking about, we've got a lot of Republicans that don't particularly care for what's been set off by Donald Trump and enabled Governor Abbott, in terms of this redistricting.
How does Sen. West see the midterms playing out?
Dial: How do you see the midterms playing out in Texas?
West: Trump will not get control, maintain control of the House of Representatives. People are starting to wake up in the state of Texas, recognizing that in order to have change, you've got to get out and vote. OK? And we'll see what happens.
I'm feeling more energized based on the conversations I'm having with people around the state of Texas, that we're going to have a better turnout among people here in the state.
The Source
Information in this article comes from FOX 4's Steven Dial's interview with Sen. Royce West.
Comments