• Texas Democrats flee the state to block Trump-backed redistricting map ahead of 2026 midterms.
• Gov. Abbott threatens removal from office, escalating constitutional and political crisis in Austin.
• President Trump targets five new GOP-leaning seats to secure House majority before fall elections.

AUSTIN, Texas (TDR) — A dramatic standoff over redistricting exploded into open political warfare Sunday as more than 50 Texas House Democrats fled the state to block a vote on a Trump-endorsed congressional map, prompting Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to threaten their removal from office. The impasse marks a high-stakes flashpoint in President Trump’s aggressive effort to redraw U.S. House boundaries and lock in Republican control ahead of the 2026 midterms.

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At issue is a rare mid-decade gerrymander—spearheaded by Trump allies in Texas—that would add five Republican-leaning districts to the Lone Star State’s congressional delegation. Currently holding 25 of Texas’ 38 seats, GOP leaders hope to expand that margin as Democrats grow increasingly dependent on suburban and urban coalitions. But Democrats, citing constitutional concerns and voter suppression fears, are taking extraordinary steps to stop the vote.

“We will do whatever it takes,” said House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu, declining to reveal how long lawmakers intend to remain out of state. “What that looks like, we don’t know.”

Abbott Threatens Expulsion, Fines

Under Texas law, the 150-member House cannot conduct business without at least two-thirds present. With Democrats holding 62 seats and at least 51 reportedly having left the state, the chamber was rendered inoperable as of Sunday night. Some members traveled to Boston and Albany, but most converged in Illinois, where Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker has offered political and logistical refuge.

Gov. Abbott, frustrated and fiery, said the absentee lawmakers had violated their constitutional duties and warned of legal consequences.

“This truancy ends now,” he declared in a statement, citing a non-binding legal opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton that suggested fundraising to avoid fines could constitute a felony.

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Speaker Dustin Burrows confirmed the chamber would convene Monday and implied Republicans may pursue rule changes if the boycott continues. “All options will be on the table,” he said.

Paxton, Burrows Back Hardline Approach

Attorney General Paxton, currently running for U.S. Senate, echoed that call to arms on X:

“Democrats who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately.”

Under Texas House rules, failing to appear is a civil violation, not a criminal offense. But lawmakers may be fined $500 daily under new rules passed in 2023. Though the Texas Supreme Court in 2021 affirmed that missing members could be “physically compelled” to return, no Democrat was forcibly retrieved during that year’s similar quorum break over voting laws.

Critically, this latest boycott stalls more than just redistricting. Votes on flood relief and early-warning infrastructure—vital following June’s deadly storms—are also on hold. Democrats have accused Republicans of failing to prioritize the public safety legislation before ramming through partisan map changes.

Illinois Becomes Opposition Hub

Gov. Pritzker, an early critic of Trump’s second-term agenda, has been in behind-the-scenes talks with Texas Democrats since June. His office coordinated travel, lodging, and a press event last week with fleeing lawmakers. California Gov. Gavin Newsom hosted a similar show of opposition in Sacramento.

“This is not just rigging the system in Texas,” Pritzker said. “It’s about rigging the system against the rights of all Americans for years to come.”

Sources confirm Pritzker has met privately with Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder to prepare contingency plans and offer Illinois as a safe harbor.

Trump Eyes a National Map Shift

With the House balance of power on the line, Trump has pushed Texas and other GOP-led states to use their legislative muscle to reassert Republican dominance. The redrawn Texas map is central to his midterm calculus. A repeat of 2018—when Democrats flipped the House during Trump’s first term—is what his team aims to avoid.

Trump-aligned operatives have also floated redistricting pushes in states like Missouri, where narrow margins could be widened through aggressive cartography.

“This is about securing America’s future by securing Republican majorities,” said a senior official close to the former president.

Will Democrats’ out-of-state gambit derail Trump’s redistricting push—or trigger a new constitutional showdown this fall?

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