Texas Democrats Planning to Flee to Block Redistricting

3,134 Views | 52 Replies | Last: 6 days ago by BQ_90
Rapier108
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10:25a, 7/30/25
Quote:
Texas Democrats are preparing to flee the state to prevent Republicans from passing a key redistricting plan that threatens Democrats' ability to retake the House of Representatives in 2026.

The strategy of Texas Democrats is to prevent Republicans from having the necessary quorum of lawmakers to pass a redistricting plan. Taking such drastic measures would come at a cost, however, as state rules impose a $500 fine for each day a lawmaker absconds from the legislature. Nevertheless, lawmakers in the state are already shoring up funds to cover that expense, according to the Texas Tribune.

Texas Republicans imposed the $500-a-day fine in 2023, two years after their Democratic counterparts first left the state en masse in an unsuccessful effort to foil GOP priorities.

One more roadblock Democrats face with their plan this year is that Texas House rules ban lawmakers from using campaign funds to pay the fines. Despite this, Democrats clued into the fundraising plans told the Tribune that they are confident they have found a way to legally distribute fundraising to lawmakers.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-democrats-plan-state-exodus-block-gop-redistricting-despite-500-daily-fines

Same thing they do every single time they don't get their way. They'll run off to some nice hotel in a blue state or DC where they can't be touched and will spend weeks living it up while claiming that they're "fighting" for whatever.

Democrats as always end up acting like petulant children, but know the Texas media will not only cover for them, but make them out to be the heroes.
"If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves." - Sir Winston Churchill
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Tramp96
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10:26a, 7/30/25
Petulant children. Their constituents should be ashamed and appalled by this behavior, but they aren't.
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46
oh no
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10:26a, 7/30/25
AG
so brave
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Picard
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10:35a, 7/30/25
AG
Deport them

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Cinco Ranch Aggie
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10:36a, 7/30/25
AG
Arrest them.
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2000AgPhD
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10:36a, 7/30/25
Last time they all came back with Covid. One can hope...
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PCC_80
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10:40a, 7/30/25
AG
Quote:
state rules impose a $500 fine for each day a lawmaker absconds from the legislature.

The Repubs need to increase this X5. $2500/day. How many Dems have to be absent to prevent a Quorum ? ? Let see how long the Dems can bleed that kind of cash.
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coconutED
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10:42a, 7/30/25
AG
Declare their seats abandoned and vacant
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Ellis Wyatt
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In reply to Rapier108 • 10:42a, 7/30/25
This is not democracy.
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2wealfth Man
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10:43a, 7/30/25
AG
Can Burrows go with them? Please, asking for a friend.
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Trajan88
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In reply to Rapier108 • 10:43a, 7/30/25
AG
Why doesn't the TX legislature offer up an amendment to the TX constitution that gets voted on by the people to stop this ... where a quorum. a min. number does not have to be present?

Or would it be as simple as a rules change?

Ridiculous such abdications to stop the legislature's is a possibility
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Ellis Wyatt
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In reply to Trajan88 • 10:45a, 7/30/25
If it only required 50%, there would be plenty of "republicans" who would skip out with them.

Burrows, Brad Buckley, and Phelan aren't about to allow republicans to gain anything.
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Ag87H2O
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10:49a, 7/30/25
AG
If we had a Speaker that was worth a flip he would gavel the House into session and immediately call for a quorum. Then send the DPS after the missing reps and haul them back in before they cross the state line.

Then he would keep the House in session until the bill was passed.

As it is, $500 per day won't move the needle. Increase it to $10,000 per day and it might get their attention.
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nortex97
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10:54a, 7/30/25
AG
Running away is a key democrat strategy, in many ways.
  • Wars (see: Afghanistan, Iraq "status of forces" etc.)
  • 3rd world s-holes.
  • Non-3rd world s-holes when they are still in the minority pending further invasion.
  • Pregnancies.
  • Legal testimony about acts while in office ("I cannot recall."-GCF)
  • Talking to/with law enforcement.
  • If a bad guy ever gets a gun (they want the public disarmed).
  • If muslims are upset about something like a video (Benghazi, etc.)
  • Difficult questions ('what is a woman?')
I'm sure there are more examples.
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Maroon Dawn
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11:00a, 7/30/25
AG
This needs to stop

Dems shouldn't be able to hold democracy hostage every time they're on the losing side of it
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Independence H-D
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11:23a, 7/30/25
If I remember correctly, back in 2003 the dims took off for New Mexico. Arrest warrants were issued. Texas Rangers brought them back.
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Mac94
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In reply to Independence H-D • 11:25a, 7/30/25
AG
Independence H-D said:
If I remember correctly, back in 2003 the dims took off for New Mexico. Arrest warrants were issued. Texas Rangers brought them back.

They stayed out of state until the 30 session ended. Gov Perry immediately called a 2nd special and Dems then broke quorum and went to Oklahoma. The 30 day clock was run out but another special was called and Congressional maps were passed during a 3rd called session.
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txags92
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11:31a, 7/30/25
AG
Screw fines. If the house is in session and you refuse to show up and don't have a valid medical or family reason to be gone, your seat should be declared vacant after 7 days and replaced with the 2nd place vote getter in the most recent election.
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Ellis Wyatt
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In reply to Maroon Dawn • 11:32a, 7/30/25
Maroon Dawn said:
This needs to stop

Dems shouldn't be able to hold democracy hostage every time they're on the losing side of it

And imagine...Burrows, Buckley, and Phelan gave democrats control over the House. This is how republicans are repaid. Democrats own the Texas legislature.

Burrows, Buckley, Phelan and company MUST be primaried. They are not representing the constituents who elected them.
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JaxDad
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11:32a, 7/30/25
AG
It's called a tantrum
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txags92
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In reply to Ellis Wyatt • 11:34a, 7/30/25
AG
Ellis Wyatt said:
If it only required 50%, there would be plenty of "republicans" who would skip out with them.

Burrows, Brad Buckley, and Phelan aren't about to allow republicans to gain anything.

Does electing a new speaker require a full house quorum? If not, we should vote for a new speaker while all of Burrows' dem buddies are gone. Let them all come back to find their committee co-chair positions are a thing of the past.

Another good tactic could be to pass a law that says that any rep that leaves the state for the purpose of blocking a quorum is banned from sitting on or chairing/co-chairing any committee or sub-committee for the next 2 sessions.
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Gigem314
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In reply to Independence H-D • 11:41a, 7/30/25
AG
Independence H-D said:
If I remember correctly, back in 2003 the dims took off for New Mexico. Arrest warrants were issued. Texas Rangers brought them back.

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TexAgs91
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11:44a, 7/30/25
AG
Quote:
Texas Republicans imposed the $500-a-day fine in 2023, two years after their Democratic counterparts first left the state en masse in an unsuccessful effort to foil GOP priorities


TWO YEARS???!
God Republicans are ridiculous
No, I don't care what CNN or MSNBC said this time
Ad Lunam
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AgDev01
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In reply to TexAgs91 • 11:54a, 7/30/25
AG
That probably has to do with the fact the legislature only meets every other year.
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doubledog
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In reply to Rapier108 • 11:56a, 7/30/25
Rapier108 said:
Quote:

Texas Republicans imposed the $500-a-day fine in 2023, two years after their Democratic counterparts first left the state en masse in an unsuccessful effort to foil GOP priorities.


https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-democrats-plan-state-exodus-block-gop-redistricting-despite-500-daily-fines


Change the $500/day to $500/minute.
That will cost them (or U.S. taxpayer, I am sure they will use a funded NGO).

At the very least define day as Jupiter day (10 hours)

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cajunaggie08
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12:06p, 7/30/25
AG
So do we think giving the GOP 79% of the representation of Texas when only 56% of the state voted for the republican nominee in 2024 is what the founding fathers envisioned. And yes its bullcrap when the other side does it too.
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Ellis Wyatt
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In reply to cajunaggie08 • 12:08p, 7/30/25
cajunaggie08 said:
So do we think giving the GOP 79% of the representation of Texas when only 56% of the state voted for the republican nominee in 2024 is what the founding fathers envisioned. And yes its bullcrap when the other side does it too.

Sorry. We can no longer let them unilaterally fight us. It is how our government has become autonomous. THAT is not what our forefathers established.
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KingofHazor
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In reply to cajunaggie08 • 12:09p, 7/30/25
cajunaggie08 said:
So do we think giving the GOP 79% of the representation of Texas when only 56% of the state voted for the republican nominee in 2024 is what the founding fathers envisioned. And yes its bullcrap when the other side does it too.

Who knows what the founding fathers envisioned? They were pretty damned partisan too almost immediately.

And what is your solution? If the R's quit, the D's won't, so it would simply be throwing seats to the Dems.
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samurai_science
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In reply to cajunaggie08 • 12:09p, 7/30/25
cajunaggie08 said:
So do we think giving the GOP 79% of the representation of Texas when only 56% of the state voted for the republican nominee in 2024 is what the founding fathers envisioned. And yes its bullcrap when the other side does it too.


Who cares? The other side doing it is precisely why the good guys have to do it too. Don't be naive


You are delusional if you think trying to play fair will lead to anything but demorat dominance, get out of fantasy land.
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cajunaggie08
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In reply to samurai_science • 12:10p, 7/30/25
AG
samurai_science said:
cajunaggie08 said:
So do we think giving the GOP 79% of the representation of Texas when only 56% of the state voted for the republican nominee in 2024 is what the founding fathers envisioned. And yes its bullcrap when the other side does it too.


Who cares? The other side doing it is precisely why the good guys have to do it too. Don't be naive

Its cute that you think you're on the "good guys" side

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samurai_science
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In reply to cajunaggie08 • 12:12p, 7/30/25
cajunaggie08 said:
samurai_science said:
cajunaggie08 said:
So do we think giving the GOP 79% of the representation of Texas when only 56% of the state voted for the republican nominee in 2024 is what the founding fathers envisioned. And yes its bullcrap when the other side does it too.


Who cares? The other side doing it is precisely why the good guys have to do it too. Don't be naive

Its cute that you think you're on the "good guys" side





We are. Thank you for the quick nazi reference though, typical of those who have no argument.
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txags92
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In reply to cajunaggie08 • 12:12p, 7/30/25
AG
cajunaggie08 said:
So do we think giving the GOP 79% of the representation of Texas when only 56% of the state voted for the republican nominee in 2024 is what the founding fathers envisioned. And yes its bullcrap when the other side does it too.

Have to play by their rules or get run over. So we will play by their rules.
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samurai_science
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12:13p, 7/30/25
Godwin's law comes through again
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samurai_science
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In reply to txags92 • 12:15p, 7/30/25
txags92 said:
cajunaggie08 said:
So do we think giving the GOP 79% of the representation of Texas when only 56% of the state voted for the republican nominee in 2024 is what the founding fathers envisioned. And yes its bullcrap when the other side does it too.

Have to play by their rules or get run over. So we will play by their rules.


Correct




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Teslag
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In reply to cajunaggie08 • 12:17p, 7/30/25
AG
cajunaggie08 said:
samurai_science said:
cajunaggie08 said:
So do we think giving the GOP 79% of the representation of Texas when only 56% of the state voted for the republican nominee in 2024 is what the founding fathers envisioned. And yes its bullcrap when the other side does it too.


Who cares? The other side doing it is precisely why the good guys have to do it too. Don't be naive

Its cute that you think you're on the "good guys" side



What is your opinion of California, Illinois, and New Jersey maps?
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