Texas Democrats seek to block redistricting vote by leaving state

Republican George Brian Vachris, chair of Harris County precinct 885, talks with Democrat Logan Payne, a staff member of Zoe Cadore, who is a candidate for the 18th congressional district, as they wait for a hearing on the effort by Texas Republicans, backed by US President Donald Trump, to redraw congressional lines, in the State Capitol in Austin, Texas, US, Aug 1, 2025. REUTERS/Nuri Vallbona

Democratic lawmakers in Texas said on Sunday they were leaving the state to deny Republicans the quorum needed to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, a move sought to protect the Republicans' narrow US House majority in next year's midterm elections.

President Donald Trump has championed the redistricting plan, telling reporters he expects the effort to yield as many as five additional House Republicans. Republicans hold a narrow 220-212 majority in the House of Representatives, with three Democratic-held seats vacant after members' deaths.

In a video shot in front of an airport, Democratic Representative James Talarico said the redistricting plan amounted to "rigging" the 2026 elections.

"If you're seeing this video, my Democratic colleagues and I have just left our beloved state to break quorum and stop Trump's redistricting power grab," Talarico said in the video posted on X on Sunday.

Several other Texas Democrats said on X they were headed to Illinois, whose governor is Democrat J.B. Pritzker.

States are required to redistrict every 10 years based on the US Census but the Texas map was passed just four years ago by the Republican-dominated legislature. While mid-cycle redistricting occasionally takes place, it is usually prompted by a change in power at the legislature.

Republicans have pursued redistricting in a special legislative session that will also address funding for flood prevention in the wake of the deadly Jul 4 flash flooding that killed more than 130.

Under the current lines, Republicans control 25 seats, nearly two-thirds of the districts in a state that went for Trump last year by a 56% to 42% margin.

Redistricting experts have said the plan could backfire if Republicans try to squeeze too many seats out of what is already considered a significantly skewed map.

Republican Governor Greg Abbott's office did not respond to a request for comment about the Democrats' move on Sunday.