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The Republican speaker of the Texas House on Monday vowed to move fast to redraw the state’s congressional districts after reaching a quorum with the return of runaway Democratic lawmakers.
House Speaker Dustin Burrows’ quorum call capped a two-week political saga that began after Democrats left the state, leaving the legislature unable to act, and intensifying the national fight over congressional maps.
“No one here needs a reminder that the last few weeks have been contentious, but from this point forward, the rules of engagement are clear: debate is welcome, but personal attacks and name-calling will not be tolerated,” Mr. Burrows told lawmakers after announcing enough House members were present to proceed.
“We are done waiting; we have a quorum. Now is the time for action. We will move quickly, and the schedule will be demanding until our work is complete,” Mr. Burrows said.
The speaker delivered the remarks after Texas House Democrats, who had found refuge in other states, returned to Austin for the second special session called by Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican.
Rep. Gene Wu, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, signaled last week that they would head home after the Texas House adjourned from its first special session and after Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Democrats rolled out their retaliatory map.
Related to the minority, Democrats have lacked the power to thwart the new maps, which they say dilute the power of minority voters.
Mr. Abbott made that clear last week, stating that he would continue to call special sessions until the Democrats returned to work.
Still, Democrats claimed they reshaped the national debate over congressional maps.
“We’re returning to Texas more dangerous to Republicans’ plans than when we left,” Mr. Wu said in his statement. “Our return allows us to build the legal record necessary to defeat this racist map in court, take our message to communities across the state and country, and inspire legislators across the country how to fight these undemocratic redistricting schemes in their own statehouse.”
On Monday, Mr. Burrows said the House would reconvene Wednesday to start chipping away at legislative priorities. The do-list includes the congressional maps, relief funding for the communities hit hardest by the floods, a “bathroom” bill that requires people to use bathrooms aligned with the sex they were assigned at birth in government and school buildings, and efforts to crack down on abortion pills.
Mr. Burrows said Democratic lawmakers who faced arrest warrants for leaving the state would be granted written permission to leave the statehouse “only after agreeing to be released into the custody of a designated [Department of Public Safety] officer appointed under the rules of the House, who will ensure your return on Wednesday at 10 a.m.
“For those still absent, civil arrest warrants remain in force,” he said.
Under the proposed map, the Texas GOP is expected to gain at least 5 new congressional seats in the midterm elections, making it easier for the Republicans in Washington to defend their slim majority and ensure the chamber remains aligned with the Trump agenda over his final two years in office.
The effort in Texas — and the encouragement from the White House — are inspiring Republicans in other states, including Ohio and Indiana, to consider following suit.
Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California has led the Democratic pushback.
Mr. Newsom, a possible 2028 presidential contender, announced last week that the Democrat-led state legislature plans to ask voters this fall to vote on whether they would like to see the state’s maps be redrawn in response to what’s happening in Texas.
“Trump knows he is going to LOSE in 2026,” Mr. Newsom said Monday on social media. “His plan to rig new Congressional seats is going to backfire — thanks to California.”
The proposed map would help Democrats net five seats, and also help shield incumbents in their re-election campaigns.
However, the California map faced more legal hurdles than the GOP-led effort in Texas.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, pledged to raise $100 million to counter the effort.
Political analysts say this could prove to be a slippery slope for Democrats.
“Even if California is successful, though, Republicans still have more states beyond Texas where they can look for additional seats than Democrats do,” Kyle Kondik and J. Miles Coleman, of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, write in their latest analysis.
“Ohio has to draw a new map, and Florida is taking steps to reopen redistricting,” Mr. Kondik and Mr. Coleman said. “Republicans could net more than one extra seat in each state, and Republicans also could easily draw themselves extra seats in Indiana and Missouri, both of which are under pressure from the White House to redraw.”
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