Texas Democrats have jetted off to Chicago in what is a coordinated effort to delay the passage of a new congressional map that favors the Republican Party for the 2026 midterm elections.
After a state House committee advanced the new map for consideration by the full House earlier this weekend, state Democrats were weighing the option of fleeing Texas in order to break quorum, which requires that a certain number of members must be present to vote on any legislation.
On Sunday, they did just that, with more than 51 Democratic lawmakers reportedly headed to the Windy City, where they will hold a news conference later tonight with Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL), who has previously suggested he may launch a redistricting effort in Illinois.
According to NBC News, Pritzker brokered the move, directing his staff to provide support for finding hotels, meeting spaces, and other logistical assistance for the Texas Democrats who are staying in the state.
That stay is far from being short-lived, despite the full House vote on the redistricting effort back in Texas being scheduled for Monday. At least 30 Democrats are expected to stay in Chicago for the next week, in what is becoming a much larger fight against a state redistricting effort that has the backing of President Donald Trump.
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chairman Gene Wu suggested as much in his statement on their plan earlier on Sunday.
TEXAS HOUSE ADVANCES NEWLY DRAWN CONGRESSIONAL MAP THAT FAVORS GOP
“We’re leaving Texas to fight for Texans. We will not allow disaster relief to be held hostage to a Trump gerrymander. We’re not walking out on our responsibilities; we’re walking out on a rigged system that refuses to listen to the people we represent. As of today, this corrupt special session is over,” Wu said, referring to separate legislation addressing the deadly Texas floods that cannot be voted on unless Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) calls another special 30-day legislative session in the event state Democrats hold out longer.
The redistricting effort at the center of this fight includes redrawing the congressional map for the state, creating five more GOP-favored seats that would help Republicans hold on to their small majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
