Beto's back: Democrat rallies support nationwide against Trump's Texas plan
EL PASO, Texas - As the fight heats up over a President Trump-backed plan to redraw congressional maps in the country's second most populous state, Democratic powerhouse Beto O'Rourke is leading the charge to "stop the steal in Texas."
On social media, O'Rourke is offering his support for Texas Democrats who have abandoned the ongoing special session in a bid to deny Republicans a quorum to pass their new map. Those maps are designed to expand Republican control over the U.S. House of Representatives ahead of the 2026 midterm election.
The maps were crafted in the hopes of Republicans gaining another five congressional seats in Texas, especially along the U.S.-Mexico border and Texas' largest cities.
More: See how Texas redistricting maps could gain Trump more Republican seats in the House
The Democratic sojourn has led Gov. Greg Abbott to call for the lawmakers' arrest.
Initially, Abbott said a special session was needed to find solutions after more than 100 people, including young girls at a summer camp, died in flash floods in the Kerrville, Texas, area. But he added redrawing congressional maps at Trump's request.
On Sunday, Aug. 3, the day state Democrats fled Texas, O'Rourke posted a link on X calling for donations to keep Democrats out of Austin for as long as necessary.
"Have their backs," wrote O'Rourke, a former three-term Democratic congressman from El Paso, Texas, who ran an unsuccessful 2020 bid for his party's presidential nomination. "Whatever it takes for as long as it takes."
Beto O'Rourke fires back at Ken Paxton: Twice-indicted a** is going down with him
That push to fundraise on behalf of Texas Democrats has drawn the ire of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who this week called for an investigation into O'Rourke's campaign. But instead of playing defense, O'Rourke has gone on the offensive since Paxton's announcement.
"The guy impeached for bribery is going after the folks trying to stop the theft of five Congressional seats," O'Rourke wrote in a post on X Wednesday, August 6. "Let's stop these thugs before they steal our country."
That led to a back-and-forth between the attorney general and O'Rourke, one of El Paso and Texas' most popular Democrats.
More: Paxton asks Illinois court to enforce Texas warrants against Democrats who left the state
"Beto O'Rourke sure is scared of accountability," Paxton wrote on X. "No one's above the law, and any lawless liberal that took a bribe will face justice."
"Scared? If we stop the Texas steal (and) win the House, (President Donald Trump's) crimes (and) corruption will be exposed for all to see," O'Rourke responded. "The girls traded with Epstein. The bribes taken from foreign governments. And when he goes down, your corrupt, impeached, twice-indicted ass is going down with him!"
Scared? If we stop the Texas steal & win the House, your guy's crimes & corruption will be exposed for all to see. The girls traded with Epstein. The bribes taken from foreign governments. And when he goes down, your corrupt, impeached, twice indicted ass is going down with him! https://t.co/plYNMACCno
Trump: 'Find me five Republican seats in Texas'
Beyond taking his fight into the digital realm, O'Rourke has been touring the country on behalf of Powered by People, a progressive, grassroots voting advocacy group.
On Tuesday, Aug. 5, O'Rourke appeared before a crowd in Omaha, Nebraska, where he celebrated Texas Democrats for fighting back against the Republican power grab orchestrated by Trump.
"He just said, in broad daylight, clear as day, 'Find me five Republican seats in the state of Texas," O'Rourke said to the crowd. "He understands that without these five congressional seats in Texas, he's not going to win unless he cheats ahead of time, trying to steal the 2026 election in the summer of 2025."
The following day, O'Rourke took his message to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he was met by a massive crowd of supporters.
"Earlier this week, on Sunday, 56 Democratic state legislators left the state of Texas," he said as the crowd issued thunderous applause, "to deny their Republican counterparts the quorum, the numbers necessary to redraw five congressional districts currently represented by Democrats in the state of Texas at the behest of the president of the United States. These brave Democrats in Texas said, 'Over my dead body are you going to steal these five seats in Texas."
By all accounts, O'Rourke has only just begun — following his appearance in Oklahoma, he traveled to New Orleans and will appear in Abilene, Texas, Sunday, Aug.10. He's also made stops in Kansas City, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Houston over the last week.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
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