Texas Democrats preparing state exodus to block GOP redistricting despite $500 daily fines
The strategy of Texas Democrats is to prevent Republicans from having the necessary quorum of lawmakers to pass a redistricting plan. Taking such drastic measures would come at a cost, however, as state rules impose a $500 fine for each day a lawmaker absconds from the legislature. Nevertheless, lawmakers in the state are already shoring up funds to cover that expense, according to the Texas Tribune.
Texas Republicans imposed the $500-a-day fine in 2023, two years after their Democratic counterparts first left the state en masse in an unsuccessful effort to foil GOP priorities.
One more roadblock Democrats face with their plan this year is that Texas House rules ban lawmakers from using campaign funds to pay the fines. Despite this, Democrats clued into the fundraising plans told the Tribune that they are confident they have found a way to legally distribute fundraising to lawmakers.
State Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat, is set to meet with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries in Texas later on Wednesday. He told Politico that he would be willing to flee the state under the Democratic plan, "if we get to that point."
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, served in the Texas legislature in 2021 and participated in the Democratic exodus to Washington, D.C. that year. She argued to the Tribune that limits on external income are so minimal for Texas lawmakers that they could simply classify donations as an alternate salary before using them to pay the daily fines.
Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has threatened to arrest any lawmaker who breaks quorum.
"If Democrats ignore their duty to their constituents by breaking quorum, they should be found and arrested no matter where they go. The people of Texas elected them to do a job, not run away and hide like cowards," Paxton said earlier this month.
"My office stands ready to assist local, state, and federal authorities in hunting down and compelling the attendance of anyone who abandons their office and their constituents for cheap political theater," he added.
Texas' congressional delegation currently has a 25-12 split favoring Republicans, with one seat vacant. State Republicans have yet to unveil the finalized new plan, but the party is looking to expand that split to secure extra padding to keep the House of Representatives in 2026.
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