Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Sunday that he would continue to call special sessions of the Texas legislature until the rogue Democrats who fled the state to block redistricting returned.
Abbott also pledged to arrest the Democrats and take them to the Capitol building once they returned to Texas so the legislature could reconvene. Around 50 House Democrats left the state last week to block the legislature from redrawing election maps by denying a quorum. 
&#8220;I&#8217;m authorized to call a special session every 30 days. It lasts 30 days. And as soon as this one is over, I&#8217;m gonna call another one, then another one, then another one, then another one,&#8221; Abbott told Fox News host Shannon Bream. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Texas Democrats didn’t stand and fight—they fled, obstructing critical state business for hardworking Texans.
I’ll call special session after special session for years if I have to.
Only cowards run to blue states. <a href="https://t.co/ojws4DDlbG">pic.twitter.com/ojws4DDlbG</a>
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1954605346028159417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;If they show back up in the state of Texas, they will be arrested and taken to the capitol. If they want to evade that arrest, they&#8217;re gonna have to stay outside of the state of Texas for literally years,&#8221; he added. “They might as well just start voting in California or voting in Illinois, wherever they may be.”
Abbott <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abbott-moves-to-oust-democrat-who-led-texas-walkout-stunt">filed a suit</a> with the Texas Supreme Court last Tuesday seeking to remove Democrat House Caucus Chair Gene Wu from office over the Democrat revolt. He argued that Wu has forfeited his spot in the legislature. 
&#8220;We have a situation where lawmakers are violating the law in Article 3 of the Texas Constitution where they are required to act on bills. Because they&#8217;re violating that constitutional mandate, that means they are not fulfilling their oath of office, and they can be removed from office in this legal action that I&#8217;m taking,&#8221; Abbott said Sunday. 
The Texas House was set to consider adopting GOP-backed election maps that would create five more favorable Republican seats in Congress. This prompted backlash from Democrat lawmakers who went to deep blue states like Massachusetts or Illinois to protest. 
Despite his own state’s gerrymandered political maps, Illinois Democrat Governor JB Pritzker has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illinois-gov-says-his-states-gerrymandering-is-ok-because-democracy?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Illinois+Gov+Says+His+State’s+Gerrymandering+Is+OK+—+Because+‘Democracy’">accused</a> Texas Republicans of engaging in a power grab. 
“What they’re talking about is a distraction. The reality is that the violation of people’s voting rights is what Texas is attempting to do. That’s what’s wrong with their efforts right now. And the fact that the president of the United States knows it and, nevertheless, is asking them to do it — that is what’s wrong with what we’re seeing right now. Democracy is at stake,” he said Sunday.

Texas Governor Abbott Holds Border Security Bill Signing At Texas Capitol

Abbott Vows To Hold Special Sessions In Texas ‘For Years’ Until Delinquent Dems Return

Abbott Vows To Continue Holding Special Sessions 'For Years' If Necessary

Elections

Greg Abbot

Illinois

JB Pritzker

Texas

Voting

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker dodged when confronted on his own state’s gerrymandered congressional map, pivoting to blame Texas Republicans of threatening “democracy.”
The Illinois governor appeared on NBC News for an interview that aired on Sunday, and, when asked if his criticism of Texas’ redistricting push is hypocritical, he said that attacks on his own state’s congressional map are distractions.
“What they&#8217;re talking about is a distraction. The reality is that the violation of people&#8217;s voting rights is what Texas is attempting to do. That&#8217;s what&#8217;s wrong with their efforts right now. And the fact that the president of the United States knows it and, nevertheless, is asking them to do it — that is what&#8217;s wrong with what we&#8217;re seeing right now. Democracy is at stake,” said Pritzker.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NBC: Every group that grades the fairness of congressional maps gives Illinois an F and says it&#8217;s a &#8220;perfect model of everything that can go wrong with redistricting.&#8221; Aren&#8217;t you a big hypocrite?
PRITZKER: &#8220;Democracy is at stake!&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/g9NrY0VDDG">pic.twitter.com/g9NrY0VDDG</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1954535550733443200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Meet The Press” host Kristen Welker pointed to “F” grades that Illinois’ congressional map has received on the “fairness” of its district lines from independent watchdogs.
According to <a href="https://www.commoncause.org/illinois/resources/illinois/">Common Cause</a>, one of the watchdogs Welker referred to, “Illinois represents a nearly perfect model for everything that can go wrong with redistricting.”
“Illinois legislators used the redistricting process this cycle to protect a Democratic supermajority in the legislature and squeeze one additional Democratic congressional district out of the map despite the state’s loss of one U.S. House seat post-census,” the Common Cause report said.
Pritzker has hosted many of the Texas Democrats who fled their state earlier this month to deny a quorum in the Texas legislature and hold up passage of a newly redrawn congressional map. The map is expected to win Republicans five more seats in the U.S. House during midterm elections.
The Democrats’ abandonment of the state has also held up legislation aimed at assisting the victims of catastrophic flooding in central Texas earlier this year.
Texas leaders, including Governor Greg Abbott and state Attorny General Ken Paxton, have promised to scour legal mechanisms of forcing the rogue Democrats back to the state. Otherwise, the Democrat absences could leave the legislature hobbled for weeks or months.
“All I can say is we’re going to use every tool that we can to make sure that these runaway Democrats are going to be held accountable,” Abbott <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abbott-vows-to-use-every-tool-to-round-up-and-arrest-runaway-texas-dems">said</a> on Friday.
“Democrats act like they’re not going to come back as long as this is an issue. That means they’re not going to come back until like 2027 or 2028, because I’m going to call special session after special session after special session with the same agenda items on there,” he added.

Illinois Gov Says His State’s Gerrymandering Is OK — Because ‘Democracy’

Illinois Gov Says His State’s Gerrymandering Is OK — Because 'Democracy'

Former Rep. Robert Francis &#8220;Beto&#8221; O&#8217;Rourke (D-TX) railed against Republicans and called on Democrats to &#8220;f*** the rules&#8221; and redraw congressional districts that would ensure Democrats will &#8220;win whatever it takes.&#8221;
O&#8217;Rourke, whose most recent political aspirations ended in failures, has been attempting to use his non profit group &#8220;Powered by People&#8221; to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-blocks-betos-attempt-to-funnel-cash-to-awol-texas-dems">slip money to Texas state Democrats</a> who fled the state, breaking quorum at a called special legislative session in order to stall the passage of new district map that could give Republicans as many as five more right-leaning seats.
Following a loss in court — where he was slapped with a restraining order preventing him from raising money for those purposes — O&#8217;Rourke continued to lash out against Republicans.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In a deranged and profane rant, Chronic Loser Beto O&#8217;Rourke calls Republicans &#8220;fascists&#8221; and tells Democrat states to redraw their districts now.
&#8220;Fuck the rules, we are going to win whatever it takes.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/4ZF3sZJ2DL">pic.twitter.com/4ZF3sZJ2DL</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1954307689741210096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We are not going to let him stop us, are you with me on that?&#8221; he began. &#8220;We don&#8217;t await the punch thrown by these would-be fascists to land. We punch first, and we punch harder. We want California and New Jersey and Illinois and every other state where the Democrats hold the governor&#8217;s mansion, the assembly, and the state senate to redraw their congressional districts now, not wait for Texas to move first, to maximize Democratic Party advantage.&#8221;
&#8220;Listen, you may say to yourself, &#8216;Those aren&#8217;t the rules,'&#8221; he added. &#8220;There are no refs in this game, f*** the rules, we are going to win whatever it takes. We&#8217;re going to take this to him in every way that we can.&#8221;
O&#8217;Rourke also let the mask slip during another part of his remarks, revealing what he believed Democrats should do if they ever did regain the power he was suggesting they pull out all the stops to obtain: &#8220;[We should] drive that car like we stole it.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Beto O&#8217;Rourke says when Democrats take back power, they&#8217;re going to &#8220;drive that car like we stole it&#8221; to give amnesty to illegal aliens.
O&#8217;Rourke: Illegal immigrants are &#8220;what makes this country so G**damned great in the first place.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/CYpN1JsQTi">pic.twitter.com/CYpN1JsQTi</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1954308235093262778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
O&#8217;Rourke stated that once they had the power, Democrats should offer mass amnesty to illegals in the country, arguing that they were &#8220;what makes this country so G**damned great in the first place.&#8221;

Beto

‘F*** The Rules!’: Beto Goes Off The Rails, Says Dems Will Win ‘Whatever It Takes’

'F*** The Rules!': Beto Goes Off The Rails, Says Dems Will Win 'Whatever It Takes'

Beto O'Rourke

Democrats

Politics

Redistricting

A Texas judge has put a stop to former Rep. Beto O-Rourke&#8217;s (D-TX) attempt to funnel cash to the the fifty-odd state legislators who fled the state in an effort to stall the passage of a Republican-led redistricting plan.
Tarrant County District Judge Megan Fahey slapped O&#8217;Rourke with a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/judge-blocks-beto-orourke-from-funding-texas-dems-who-fled-stop-gop-redistricting-vote">temporary restraining order</a> late on Friday, stating that funds raised by his non profit group could not be used to assist the Texas Democrats — who have been hiding out in blue states like Illinois and California since they fled the state — because they were in violation of the law as long as they remained absent from the special legislative session that had been called.
&#8220;Defendants have and will continue to engage in unlawful fundraising practices and utilization of political funds in a manner that either directly violates or causes Texas Democratic Legislators to violate [the law],&#8221; Fahey wrote. &#8220;Consumer have and continue to suffer irreparable harm through these unlawful acts because they are making political contributions that are being used to fund personal expenses and violate state law.&#8221;
O&#8217;Rourke, who failed in his most recent bids for elected office — an attempt to unseat Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and and attempt to earn the Democratic presidential nomination — was trying to use his group &#8220;Powered by People&#8221; to help the Democrats survive their self-imposed exile by funding their travel and lodging expenses in addition to the fines they&#8217;ve racked up for not remaining in Texas to do their jobs.
Fahey&#8217;s ruling was a response to Attorney General Ken Paxton&#8217;s (R-TX) filing earlier that day.
&#8220;BREAKING: I sued Robert Francis O&#8217;Rourke for &#8216;Beto Bribes&#8217; to Democrat runaways to impede the Texas Legislature. I will not allow failed political has-beens to buy off Texas elected officials. I’ll see you in court, Beto,&#8221; Paxton wrote.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: I sued Robert Francis O&#8217;Rourke for &#8220;Beto Bribes&#8221; to Democrat runaways to impede the Texas Legislature.
I will not allow failed political has-beens to buy off Texas elected officials. I’ll see you in court, Beto. <a href="https://t.co/hPvSZwwdfV">pic.twitter.com/hPvSZwwdfV</a>
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/1953913485576003592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
O&#8217;Rourke responded to the ruling, claiming that Republicans in Texas were afraid of him because he and his organization were threats to their power.
&#8220;They want to make examples out of those who fight so that others won&#8217;t,&#8221; O&#8217;Rourke claimed. &#8220;Now Paxton’s filed a restraining order to try to take us out of the fight. He wants to silence me and stop me from leading this organization. He wants to stop us from fighting Trump’s attempt to steal the five congressional seats he needs to hang on to power. But I’m not going anywhere. I plan on speaking at our rally to stop the power grab in Fort Worth tomorrow afternoon.&#8221;
&#8220;Cry more, lib,&#8221; was Paxton&#8217;s reply. &#8220;You lost in court because you&#8217;re breaking the law and deceiving Texans. We absolutely will make an example out of law breakers.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Cry more, lib.
You lost in court because you&#8217;re breaking the law and deceiving Texans. We absolutely will make an example out of law breakers. <a href="https://t.co/zDc15Q4ghe">https://t.co/zDc15Q4ghe</a>
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/1953961721644953981?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Paxton has also launched in investigation into another group that has been aiding the AWOL Texas Democrats: Texas Majority PAC.

Beto O’Rourke

Judge Blocks Beto’s Attempt To Funnel Cash To AWOL Texas Dems

Judge Blocks Beto's Attempt To Funnel Cash To AWOL Texas Dems

Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott said that he is open to using &#8220;every tool&#8221; to go after the 50+ Democratic state representatives who fled the state to block a vote on a new GOP-backed congressional map.
In an interview with <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/texas-gov-greg-abbott-moves-amp-pressure-democrats-fled-redistricting-rcna223581?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=Click%20here&amp;utm_campaign=Gov%20Abbott%20push%208.8.25">NBC News</a> that aired on Friday morning, Abbott said that state officials are preparing to arrest the Democrats who ran off to Illinois earlier this week. The governor would not say if the FBI should get involved, but added, &#8220;All I can say is we&#8217;re going to use every tool that we can to make sure that these runaway Democrats are going to be held accountable.&#8221;
Abbott told NBC News that it doesn&#8217;t matter how long Texas Democrats shirk their responsibilities in the legislature, saying that he will push the congressional map through, even if it takes years. The new map would likely <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-republicans-drop-new-congressional-map-that-would-flip-5-democrat-seats-red?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Texas+Republicans+Drop+New+Congressional+Map+That+Would+Flip+5+Democrat+Seats+Red">boost</a> the GOP&#8217;s hold on the Texas delegation by five seats ahead of the 2026 midterms.
&#8220;Democrats act like they&#8217;re not going to come back as long as this is an issue. That means they&#8217;re not going to come back until like 2027 or 2028, because I&#8217;m going to call special session after special session after special session with the same agenda items on there,&#8221; he said.
Abbott defended the push for the new congressional map in his state, saying that &#8220;both the law and facts have changed since we drew the lines back in 2021.&#8221;
&#8220;A lot of people who voted Republican, who voted for Donald Trump, were trapped into Democrat districts,&#8221; the governor said. &#8220;And so when you look at the facts, when you look at the law, there is every reason to go ahead and draw the lines so that we can assure that every voter is going to have the opportunity to vote for their candidate of choice.&#8221;
The new map would give Republicans nearly 80% of the state&#8217;s congressional districts. The move from Texas Republicans has resulted in some Democratic leaders threatening to take seats away from Republicans through redistricting in other states. California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom said earlier this week that his state would &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/newsom-threatens-retaliation-says-texas-redistricting-will-trigger-new-california-election-maps?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Newsom+Threatens+Retaliation%2C+Says+Texas+Redistricting+Will+%E2%80%98Trigger%E2%80%99+New+California+Election+Maps">punch back</a>&#8221; if Texas approves its new congressional map.
Texas can&#8217;t approve the Republican-favored map, however, until enough Democrats show up to reach a quorum.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said on Thursday that the FBI agreed to assist Texas in tracking down the AWOL Democrats after he sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-assisting-texas-in-hunt-for-runaway-democrats-gop-senator-says">reported</a>. An FBI spokesperson declined to comment when The Daily Wire reached out to the bureau.
President Donald Trump said earlier this week that the FBI &#8220;may have to&#8221; get involved in finding the Texas Democrats. Republicans pushing for the FBI to get involved sparked outrage among Democratic leaders in Washington.
&#8220;Shouldn&#8217;t the FBI be tracking down terrorists, drug traffickers and child predators? The Trump administration continues to weaponize law enforcement to target political adversaries,&#8221; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) <a href="https://x.com/hakeemjeffries/status/1953468425273024976">said</a>.
&#8220;This is authoritarianism. Plain and simple,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/1953571261956698298">added</a> Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). &#8220;Texas Democrats are standing up for Democracy, and Republicans want to send in the federal government to round them up? That is not American.&#8221;
Texas Republicans are also going after a group <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beto-orourkes-pac-bankrolls-texas-democrats-escape-from-redistricting-standoff?author=Sam+Korkus&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Beto+O%E2%80%99Rourke%E2%80%99s+PAC+Bankrolls+Texas+Democrats%E2%80%99+Escape+from+Redistricting+Standoff">bankrolling</a> Texas Democrats as they block the vote. On Wednesday, Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beto-orourke-led-group-under-investigation-over-potential-bribes-to-help-runaway-texas-dems">launched</a> an investigation into Powered by People, a Left-wing political organization led by Texas Democrat Beto O&#8217;Rourke. Paxton said the group might have violated laws on bribery, campaign finance, and abuse of office.

Greg Abbott

Abbott Vows To Use ‘Every Tool’ To Round Up And Arrest Runaway Texas Dems

Abbott Vows To Use 'Every Tool' To Round Up And Arrest Runaway Texas Dems

Congress

Republicans

The FBI will help track down the Democratic state lawmakers who fled Texas in a bid to stop their state legislature from enacting a GOP redistricting plan, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said on Thursday.
Cornyn made the announcement two days after sending a <a href="https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Letter-to-FBI-on-Texas-Legislators.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to FBI Director Kash Patel requesting that the bureau help Texas state law enforcement locate or arrest the Democrats after they potentially broke the law.
&#8220;I am proud to announce that Director Kash Patel has approved my request for the FBI to assist state and local law enforcement in locating runaway Texas House Democrats,&#8221; Cornyn said in a <a href="https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/fbi-grants-cornyn-request-to-hold-fleeing-texas-legislators-accountable/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;I thank President Trump and Director Patel for supporting and swiftly acting on my call for the federal government to hold these supposed lawmakers accountable for fleeing Texas. We cannot allow these rogue legislators to avoid their constitutional responsibilities.&#8221;
An FBI spokesperson declined to comment when The Daily Wire reached out to the bureau.
President Donald Trump is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-gop-can-get-five-more-house-seats-redistricting-just-one-state" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushing</a> Texas and other states to redraw their congressional maps with the expectation that Republicans would gain seats. In retaliation, Democrats have rallied for mid-decade redistricting in blue states. Shifting lines could give either party an edge in the 2026 midterm elections.
Dozens of Democratic Texas state lawmakers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-dems-cant-win-redistricting-fight-so-they-bravely-turn-tail-and-flee-the-state" target="_blank" rel="noopener">went AWOL</a> over the weekend with a stated purpose of preventing the state legislature from passing a new redistricting plan that could lead to Republicans gaining as many as five seats in the U.S. House. They are doing so by denying the quorum needed to conduct business for a special session.
Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-orders-texas-department-of-public-safety-to-arrest-delinquent-house-democrats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordered</a> the arrest of the Democrats who have refused to return and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abbott-moves-to-oust-democrat-who-led-texas-walkout-stunt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed</a> suit to remove Democrat House Caucus Chair Gene Wu from office after he led the walkout effort.
In his letter to Patel, Cornyn wrote, &#8220;Abbott and Texas state law enforcement officers are doing what they can within the confines of the law, but federal help may be necessary. These legislators have committed potential criminal acts in their rush to avoid their constitutional responsibilities and must be fully investigated and held accountable.&#8221;
Cornyn made the request for FBI support as he runs for another six-year term in the Senate. He is facing a primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/5437325-texas-democrats-paxton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> that he will begin removing the Democratic lawmakers from office if they do not meet a Friday deadline set by the state House speaker. Paxton also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beto-orourkes-pac-bankrolls-texas-democrats-escape-from-redistricting-standoff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> an investigation into a group led by Democrat Beto O&#8217;Rourke that is bankrolling the runaway Democrats.
Democrats have criticized the GOP&#8217;s reaction to what they argue is an effort to stop gerrymandering. That includes former Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX), who is also running in the 2026 Senate race against Cornyn and Paxton after losing to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in a 2024 contest.
&#8220;This isn&#8217;t about &#8216;locating&#8217; anyone — they&#8217;re not hiding,&#8221; Allred said in a <a href="https://x.com/ColinAllredTX/status/1953463307433545882" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on X in response to Cornyn&#8217;s announcement on Thursday. &#8220;It&#8217;s about silencing dissent and weaponizing law enforcement. Cornyn is deputizing the FBI and Paxton is trying to expel lawmakers because they&#8217;re both too weak and corrupt to stand up to Washington. Enough is enough — Texans deserve better.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-nationwide-redistricting-war-is-brewing-this-bill-seeks-to-stop-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RELATED: A Nationwide &#8216;Redistricting War&#8217; Is Brewing. This Bill Seeks To Stop It.</a>

Sen. John Cornyn

FBI Assisting Texas In Hunt For ‘Runaway’ Democrats, GOP Senator Says

FBI Assisting Texas In Hunt For 'Runaway' Democrats, GOP Senator Says

John Cornyn

kash patel

Ken Paxton

Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation Wednesday into a group led by Democrat Beto O’Rourke that is bankrolling dozens of Democrats who fled the Lone Star State to block a vote on new congressional maps.
Paxton said that O’Rourke’s group, Powered by People, might have violated laws on bribery, campaign finance, and abuse of office. Powered by People is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beto-orourkes-pac-bankrolls-texas-democrats-escape-from-redistricting-standoff?author=Sam+Korkus&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Beto+O%E2%80%99Rourke%E2%80%99s+PAC+Bankrolls+Texas+Democrats%E2%80%99+Escape+from+Redistricting+Standoff">funding</a> a group of 50 state Democrats who are each facing a $500 daily fine after fleeing to Illinois, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beto-orourkes-pac-bankrolls-texas-democrats-escape-from-redistricting-standoff?author=Sam+Korkus&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Beto+O%E2%80%99Rourke%E2%80%99s+PAC+Bankrolls+Texas+Democrats%E2%80%99+Escape+from+Redistricting+Standoff">reported</a>.
“Any Democrat coward breaking the law by taking a Beto Bribe will be held accountable,” Paxton said. “Texas cannot be bought. I look forward to thoroughly reviewing all of the documents and communications obtained throughout this investigation. These jet-setting runaways have already lost public trust by abandoning our state, and Texans deserve to know if they received illegal bribes to do it.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: I just launched an investigation into Beto O&#8217;Rourke&#8217;s radical group for unlawfully funding runaway Democrats.
Any Democrat coward breaking the law by taking a Beto Bribe will be held accountable. <a href="https://t.co/PV2IdwNOBd">pic.twitter.com/PV2IdwNOBd</a>
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/1953188955807273440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
O’Rourke — who ran failed presidential, senatorial, and gubernatorial campaigns — shot back at Paxton’s investigation, <a href="https://x.com/BetoORourke/status/1953228139271995756">writing</a> on X, “The guy impeached for bribery is going after the folks trying to stop the theft of five Congressional seats.”
Paxton was impeached by the Texas state House in 2023 on bribery charges, but he was later acquitted by the state Senate. The Texas attorney general is now challenging incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn in the 2026 U.S. Senate race.
Powered by People <a href="https://poweredxpeople.org/what-we-do/">focuses</a> on organizing volunteers to help Democrats win elections in “competitive Texas battleground districts.” The leftist group says it is also “focused on creating long-term changes to the Texas electorate that will outlast any one candidate or campaign cycle.”
Speaker of the Texas House Dustin Burrows set a Friday deadline for the Democrats to return to the legislature, but the 50 representatives are hoping to keep their stunt going and are pleading for donations as they remain in Illinois, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-texas-democrats-walkout-trump-payments-59966a83df7cbaa43ee7e410eed2fc08">reported</a>. The House Democratic Caucus set up a website for donations of up to $2,500.
“We’re getting a lot of small-dollar donations, and that’s going to be used to help keep this thing going,” said Democrat House Caucus Chair Gene Wu.
“We’ve already been inundated with donations from across the state of Texas, from across the country, just regular people donating $5, $10, $15,” Democratic state Rep. James Talarico said. “And that’s appropriate, because this fight is for the people and it should be funded by the people. We don’t have billionaires who are funding this operation.”
Earlier this week, Paxton <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-ag-asks-judge-to-officially-remove-awol-dems-from-seats">said</a> he would seek judicial orders to remove the AWOL Democrats from office over their “refusal to perform legislative duties.” Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has also pushed to remove Wu from office over the state representative’s refusal to show up for the redistricting vote and reach quorum.
Sen. Cornyn has also asked the FBI to help round up the Democrats and bring them back to the state. President Donald Trump said earlier this week that the bureau “may have to” get involved.

Beto O’Rourke-Led Group Under Investigation Over Potential Bribes To Help Runaway Texas Dems

General

Investigation

Texas state Rep. Jolanda Jones compared the ongoing redistricting fight in her home state to the Holocaust during a bizarre Tuesday interview with ousted CNN anchor Don Lemon.
Jones — who has joined a number of her colleagues in fleeing to the highly gerrymandered state of Illinois to protest gerrymandering in Texas — argued that if she remained silent in the face of the Republican-led redistricting map, she&#8217;d be no different than those who were silent when the Nazi regime rounded up and systematically slaughtered millions of Jews.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Texas State Rep. Jolanda Jones, who fled the state to Illinois, compares redistricting to the Holocaust.
To the nodding approvals of Don Lemon. <a href="https://t.co/Zj3AUnfkBN">pic.twitter.com/Zj3AUnfkBN</a>
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1952798177553211594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Jones began by arguing that the Republicans&#8217; proposed map was proof that they did not accept black people despite racial integration.
&#8220;Integration happened and everybody thought they accept us. They don&#8217;t accept us,&#8221; she claimed. &#8220;They are showing us who they are. We should believe them. And we better have the courage to stand up, otherwise we will fall for anything, and in this country we will be defeated, deported — I mean, we will lose all of our rights.&#8221;
&#8220;And if you think it can&#8217;t happen, it can,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;And I will liken this to the Holocaust — people are like, well, how did the Holocaust happen? How was somebody in a position to kill all them people? Well, good people remained silent —&#8221;
&#8220;Mmhmm,&#8221; Lemon agreed.
&#8221; — Or, good people didn&#8217;t realize that what happens to them could very soon happen to me or somebody I love,&#8221; Jones continued. &#8220;And so even if you made it, man, you have an obligation to help people who can&#8217;t because God forbid they end up targeting you and your family.&#8221;
Critics were quick to point out just how far out of line her comments had erred.
&#8220;Redistricting is like the Holocaust. And jeans commercials are like Nazis. Imagine being these people,&#8221; Daniel Turner posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Redistricting is like the Holocaust.
And jeans commercials are like Nazis.
Imagine being these people. <a href="https://t.co/0MwHWEh89Z">https://t.co/0MwHWEh89Z</a>
— Daniel Turner (@DanielTurnerPTF) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielTurnerPTF/status/1952811847993983367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Townhall&#8217;s Jeff Charles jabbed at Jones for trivializing the Holocaust, adding his sarcastic take: &#8220;&#8216;The holocaust wasn&#8217;t THAT bad y&#8217;all. The Nazis basically just redistricted the Jews.'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;The holocaust wasn&#8217;t THAT bad y&#8217;all. The Nazis basically just redistricted the Jews.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/btERnoN5e3">https://t.co/btERnoN5e3</a>
— Hotep Jeffiziah Charles🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeffcharlesjr/status/1952807708526268618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We now know that Rock Bottom has a basement,&#8221; another added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We now know that Rock Bottom has a basement. <a href="https://t.co/IhYcCZq1Gp">pic.twitter.com/IhYcCZq1Gp</a>
— TheJerseyGirl (@ChristineX2024) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristineX2024/status/1952807169092649435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

hc02212025townhallUH

Texas Democrat Loses Touch With Reality, Compares Redistricting To The Holocaust

Don Lemon

Media

Texas Governor Orders Arrest Of Democrats Who Left State To Block Redistricting Vote

The Real Reason Democrats Are Panicking About Redistricting

Census Bureau

Louisiana

Matt Walsh

Opinion

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Politics

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) took to X to complain about the redistricting fight currently embroiling the Texas State House, claiming that Texas Republicans were attempting to use a newly redrawn map to &#8220;rig&#8221; the 2026 midterm election.
As the Massachusetts-based far-left Squad member complained about what she said was a &#8220;cowardly, undemocratic power grab,&#8221; critics quickly pointed out that her own district is the result of an obviously gerrymandered map created by the Democrats who have controlled her state&#8217;s legislature for more than two decades.
&#8220;What Republicans are doing in Texas is a cowardly, undemocratic power grab meant to silence voters. They know their policies are deeply unpopular so they want to rig the next election. Solidarity with Texas Democrats using every tool to fight back,&#8221; Pressley posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
What Republicans are doing in Texas is a cowardly, undemocratic power grab meant to silence voters.
They know their policies are deeply unpopular so they want to rig the next election.
Solidarity with Texas Democrats using every tool to fight back.
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) <a href="https://twitter.com/AyannaPressley/status/1952871614611374425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;The woman who represents this district wants you to know gerrymandering is a cowardly, undemocratic power grab,&#8221; Gerry Callahan posted in response, sharing a map of Pressley&#8217;s district.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The woman who represents this district wants you to know gerrymandering is a cowardly, undemocratic power grab. <a href="https://t.co/XChUXAXsqe">https://t.co/XChUXAXsqe</a> <a href="https://t.co/JkwayCdsqB">pic.twitter.com/JkwayCdsqB</a>
— Gerry Callahan (@GerryCallahan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GerryCallahan/status/1952894955497664996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;This is what your Congressional District looks like &#8230; it is obviously quite gerrymandered! Trump got 36% of the Massachusetts vote &#8230; and Republicans got 0% of the seats!&#8221; Andrew Follett added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is what your Congressional District looks like&#8230;it is obviously quite gerrymandered!
Trump got 36% of the Massachusetts vote&#8230;and Republicans got 0% of the seats! <a href="https://t.co/E9qLQXgj0c">https://t.co/E9qLQXgj0c</a> <a href="https://t.co/UT8mF95hUF">pic.twitter.com/UT8mF95hUF</a>
— Andrew Follett (@AndrewCFollett) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewCFollett/status/1952909933399400821?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Former President Barack Obama weighed in as well, making it clear that the official talking points had gone out to the party. Using almost exactly the same words as Pressley, he posted, &#8220;We can’t lose focus on what matters – right now, Republicans in Texas are trying to gerrymander district lines to unfairly win five seats in next year’s midterm elections. This is a power grab that undermines our democracy.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We can’t lose focus on what matters – right now, Republicans in Texas are trying to gerrymander district lines to unfairly win five seats in next year’s midterm elections. This is a power grab that undermines our democracy. <a href="https://t.co/lBGo5aNbyp">https://t.co/lBGo5aNbyp</a>
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1952841189310300581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) picked up on the terminology, using Obama&#8217;s home state of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-bad-look-even-chuck-todd-gets-irony-of-texas-dems-fleeing-to-illinois-to-protest-redistricting">Illinois</a> as an example and saying that Democrats used a different word for &#8220;gerrymandering&#8221; when the state engaging in it happened to be controlled by Democrats: &#8220;democracy.&#8221;
&#8220;Dems only call it &#8216;gerrymandering&#8217; when it’s in a Republican state. When it happens in Illinois, they call it &#8216;democracy,'&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Dems only call it “gerrymandering” when it’s in a Republican state
When it happens in Illinois, they call it “democracy” <a href="https://t.co/erlaF433p7">https://t.co/erlaF433p7</a> <a href="https://t.co/4ETi84C1Cs">pic.twitter.com/4ETi84C1Cs</a>
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) <a href="https://twitter.com/BasedMikeLee/status/1952918340844044396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A number of Texas Democrats <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-dems-cant-win-redistricting-fight-so-they-bravely-turn-tail-and-flee-the-state">broke quorum</a> several days earlier, bringing the legislative special session to a halt by fleeing to Illinois because they did not have the votes to stop the redistricting plan by legitimate means. In their absence, both Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) and Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-TX) have threatened to take legal action, saying that they will petition a judge to declare the seats vacant if the AWOL Democrats do not return to finish the special session by Friday.
Texas Democrats attempted a similar stunt in 2021 as an effort to block certain provisions of a voting rights bill, and Abbott threatened at the time to withhold their pay.

Postmaster General To Testify To House Committee About Department’s Ability To Handle Mail In Voting

Ayanna Pressley Has A Problem With Gerrymandering In Texas. Here’s What Her District Looks Like.

Ayanna Pressley Has A Problem With Gerrymandering In Texas. Here's What Her District Looks Like.

Ayanna Pressley

Chuck Todd

Jake Tapper

Massachusetts

Texas Democrats who fled the state to block a vote on a new congressional map evacuated their hotel in Illinois due to a bomb threat Wednesday morning.
Police arrived at the hotel in St. Charles, Illinois — which is just west of Chicago — around 7:15 a.m. and &#8220;conducted a thorough search.&#8221; No explosive devices were found, and the hotel guests were given the all-clear to return to their rooms, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/texas-democrats-bomb-threat-evacuated-illinois-hotel-quorum-break/">reported</a>.
&#8220;In response to the threat, 400 people were immediately evacuated and the area was secured as bomb squad units conducted their investigation,&#8221; the St. Charles Police Department said. &#8220;Following clearance from authorities, all guests and staff have safely returned to the premises.&#8221;
Democratic Texas state Rep. Ann Johnson pinned blame on &#8220;reckless rhetoric&#8221; from Republicans, saying, &#8220;When the Attorney General tells people to &#8216;hunt us down,&#8217; it&#8217;s not just politics — it&#8217;s a threat to our safety,&#8221; Fox 26 Houston <a href="https://www.fox4news.com/news/bomb-threat-illinois-texas-democrats-lawmakers">reported</a>.
Texas Republicans, led by Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, have threatened to arrest the group of Democrats or remove them from office if they don&#8217;t return to vote on the GOP&#8217;s redistricting plan. If approved, the new congressional map could flip five Democratic seats to likely Republican pickups in the 2026 midterm elections.
President Donald Trump is a major proponent of the redistricting plan, saying Republicans are &#8220;entitled&#8221; to five more seats and suggesting on Tuesday that the FBI &#8220;may have to&#8221; get involved and bring the Democrats back to Texas. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel on Tuesday, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5437547-trump-fbi-texas-democrats/">asking</a> the bureau to take &#8220;any appropriate steps&#8221; to help law enforcement arrest the runaway Democrats.
On Tuesday, Paxton said that he would &#8220;seek judicial orders declaring that runaway Democrats who fail to appear by the Speaker&#8217;s deadline have vacated their office.&#8221; The deadline for the AWOL Democrats to return to the state legislature is Friday.
State Rep. Johnson argued that Texas Republicans &#8220;continuing to go further and further down the path of incitement and intimidation is dangerous.&#8221;
&#8220;And this is the perfect example. We won&#8217;t be intimidated,&#8221; Johnson added. &#8220;Texas Democrats are united, resolute, and more committed than ever to standing up for the people we represent. This moment demands courage — and we&#8217;re ready to meet it.&#8221;
Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker, who welcomed Texas Democrats to his state earlier this week, <a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1953106643819897052">wrote</a> on X Wednesday morning, &#8220;I am aware of reports that threats were made against Texas elected officials in our state. Threats of violence will be investigated and those responsible will be held accountable. I have instructed [Illinois State Police] to ensure we maintain public safety.&#8221;
Pritzker has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mr-hypocrisy-pritzker-bashes-texas-maps-forgets-his-own-power-grabs-in-illinois?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Mr.+Hypocrisy%3A+Pritzker+Bashes+Texas+Maps%2C+Forgets+His+Own+Power+Grabs+In+Illinois">slammed</a> for jumping into the Texas redistricting fight and criticizing Republicans after he oversaw a redistricting in Illinois in 2021 that included some of the most significant gerrymandering in the country.

Runaway Texas Dems Evacuate Hotel Over Bomb Scare, Blame GOP’s ‘Reckless Rhetoric’

Chicago

Police

Republican Governor Greg Abbott asked the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday to remove Democrat House Caucus Chair Gene Wu from office after he, along with 50 other Democratic lawmakers, left the state to block a vote on GOP-backed congressional redistricting. 
Wu and the other Democrats fled Texas on Sunday to deny Republicans the quorum needed to proceed. Abbott filed a <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/In_re_Abbott_Petition_%28FINAL%29_-_Filed.pdf">lawsuit</a> seeking to remove Wu from office, claiming he was violating the state Constitution and effectively forfeiting his seat. 
“What is at stake here? Nothing less than the future of Texas. If a small fraction of recalcitrant lawmakers choose to run out the clock today, they can do so for any, and every, Regular or Special Session, potentially bankrupting the State in an attempt to get their way,” Abbott wrote. “That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.”
“If representatives are free not to show up whenever they choose, then Texans simply do not have a representative government. In fact, they don’t have a functioning government at all. This Court should make clear that a legislator who does not wish to perform his duties will be stripped of them,” the suit added. 
The suit argues that leaving a constitutionally mandated session “constitutes a forfeiture of office” and that soliciting donations to cover the $500 daily fee legislatures face for missing the session is bribery. 
The redistricting maps set to be considered by the Texas House are expected to create five new favorable congressional districts for Republicans. 
Wu claimed Tuesday that his actions were noble. 
&#8220;Let me be unequivocal about my actions and my duty. When a governor conspires with a disgraced president to ram through a racist gerrymandered map, my constitutional duty is to not be a willing participant,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/greg-abbott-lawsuit-house-democratic-caucus-chair-gene-wu-redistrictin-rcna223286">said</a> in a statement. 
Trump has backed the GOP-led redistricting efforts, saying that Republicans &#8220;are entitled to five more seats.&#8221; 
​​“We have an opportunity in Texas to pick up five seats. We have a really good governor, and we have good people in Texas. And I won Texas,” Trump <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/trump-texas-redistricting-00493624">told</a> CNBC. “I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are entitled to five more seats.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/newsom-threatens-retaliation-says-texas-redistricting-will-trigger-new-california-election-maps?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Newsom+Threatens+Retaliation%2C+Says+Texas+Redistricting+Will+‘Trigger’+New+California+Election+Maps">vowed</a> to “fight fire with fire” if the Texas redistricting efforts move forward, saying such a move would “trigger” a California response that would put a retaliatory redistricting proposal before voters in November.

2024 Republican National Convention: Day 3

Abbott Moves To Oust Democrat Who Led Texas Walkout Stunt

Courts

Menu