Texas House Democrats—many from Houston—have left the state to block a vote on a new congressional map that could tilt power toward Republicans. Donald Trump is pushing the redistricting effort ahead of the 2026 midterms.
In a dramatic attempt to impede a vote on a new congressional map that could reshape Houston's political representation and give former President Donald Trump a significant edge, more than 50 Texas House Democrats have left the state for Illinois ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Announced late Sunday, the walkout deprives the Republican-controlled Texas House of the 100-member quorum needed to hold formal business. Republicans are pushing for an unusual mid-decade revision of the congressional map, which would include changes in the Houston metro region, where Democrats have recently made gains, and the creation of five new districts that are expected to lean Republican.
Trump backed Republican Governor Greg Abbott in calling the redistricting session last month, demanding a new plan to help Republicans regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2024, Trump lost several Texas suburbs, including a portion of Harris County.
The decision to leave the state was not made lightly, according to State Representative Gene Wu, a Democrat from Houston and chair of the House Democratic Caucus.
Wu declared, "We will not stand by and let Trump and Texas Republicans take political power away from communities in Houston that have worked so hard to have a say."
Although legal experts indicate that the move would primarily be symbolic, Attorney General Ken Paxton has vowed to imprison any Democrats who violate quorum.
Democratic Governor JB Pritzker had been in negotiations to offer political and logistical support, and several Democratic members of Congress are currently in Illinois. Democrats in the Houston region state that the initiative aims to protect the rights of various communities that would be divided or weakened by the new map.
Texas Democrats have employed the strategy twice in the past four years. They briefly suspended voting limits in 2021 when they departed for Washington, D.C.
Rep. Ann Johnson of Houston stated, "We are taking this action for our constituents who will no longer have representation under this map."
Houston Democrats are refusing to back down in the face of political reprisals and fines.
