Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin on Monday praised his party’s efforts to push back on GOP-friendly congressional maps in Texas, arguing Democrats can’t be the only ones who “play by the rules anymore.”
“I’m sick and tired of this Democratic Party bringing a pencil to a knife fight. We cannot be the only party that plays by the rules anymore. We’ve got to stand up and fight,” Martin said as the DNC kicked off its Monday meeting in Minnesota.
“I call on all of us to fight for a country that’s being attacked from the inside, a country being attacked by an insidious force. … And are you ready to fight? I know Texas is always ready for that, right? Right, Texas? Is California ready for that fight?” the DNC chair said, prompting cheers.
Texas Democrats fled the state earlier this month in a bid to deprive their Legislature of the numbers it needed to function, stalling a plan that could net five GOP House seats. After a dramatic two-week standoff that came with threats of arrest and removal for the quorum-breaking Democrats, lawmakers returned to Texas and the maps were quickly approved over the weekend.
President Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) “wanted a showdown,” Martin said of the Texas redistricting fight. “Well, hell we gave them that showdown.”
Meanwhile, California legislators moved forward last week with a plan to redistrict in response to the Texas developments. In a November special election, voters in the Golden State will be asked to approve a temporary redraw that could net five Democratic House seats, effectively nullifying Republican efforts in Texas.
“Texas Republicans may have passed those great maps, but we know Trump isn’t stopping there. He’s given gerrymandering orders to more red states. He’s going after mail-in ballots,” Martin said.
Trump has been ramping up his war on mail-in voting, which he thinks gives an edge to Democrats, with aims of banning the practice via executive order.
Martin also praised Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier, a Democratic lawmaker who spent the night on the Texas House floor rather than accept a police escort as the GOP tried to get the maps through. Collier, whose protest garnered national attention, abruptly left a DNC call with Martin and other top party leaders last week after she was warned she was committing a felony.
He described Collier as “a political prisoner in the Texas capitol.”
Martin addressed members of his party from his hometown of Minneapolis in the first official DNC meeting since he became chair. The Democratic leader has faced mounting turmoil within the party, from infighting to fundraising frustration ahead of next year’s high-stakes midterms.
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu also addressed the DNC meeting on Monday, praising Collier’s efforts and thanking Martin for his support amid the Texas standoff.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Comments