Gov. Greg Abbott targets El Paso Rep. Vince Perez in Texas redistricting arrest push
State Rep. Vince Perez, D-El Paso, said on Monday, Aug. 4, the warrant for his arrest stems not from a crime, but from a moral stand against what they call a "racially engineered" redistricting map.
The redistricting push comes at the behest of President Donald Trump, who is looking to maintain Republican control over the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterm election. Congressional districts are usually redrawn when the U.S. Census is taken every decade.
Perez also argues that the proposed map would dilute Hispanic representation and unfairly favor White voters. Despite facing an arrest warrant, he vows to keep fighting for fair representation for El Paso and all Texans.
"For the first time since the Civil Rights Movement, we're facing a reality where political power is blatantly distributed along racial lines. White Texans, who make up 40% of our state, would control 70% of all congressional seats, leaving the majority Black, Hispanic, and Asian Texans fighting over what's left," Perez said in a news release.
More: GOP map would strip Fort Bliss, El Paso airport from US Rep. Veronica Escobar's District 16
Greg Abbott orders arrest of Democratic lawmakers
Abbott instructed Texas law enforcement to arrest Democratic lawmakers who left the state in an effort to prevent a vote on a redistricting plan that could increase Republican representation in the U.S. House.
'Texas House Democrats abandoned their duty to Texans,' Abbott said in a news release Monday, Aug. 4. 'By fleeing the state, Texas House Democrats are holding hostage critical legislation to aid flood victims and advance property tax relief. There are consequences for dereliction of duty."
In El Paso, the proposed map would move Fort Bliss and the El Paso International Airport out of Texas Congressional District 16, which U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar currently represents. Those areas would be shifted into Texas Congressional District 23, represented by U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio.
"Greg Abbott's unfailing loyalty to Donald Trump is greater than his loyalty to Texans," Escobar, D-El Paso, said in a text message to the El Paso Times. "Instead of focusing on helping grieving families who lost everything in the floods, instead of preparing our state for the next emergency, he's doing the bidding of a president who is afraid of his voters and wants to rig the next election."
"I'm grateful to all our Texas Democrats working to defend our democracy and fighr these illegal maps and know that countless Texans stand with those leaders being threatened by Abbott."
Rep. Joe Moody stays behind
Among the state Democrats who did not flee Austin was state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, who voted against Abbott's move to issue arrest warrants against other lawmakers.
"I fought these corrupt maps in committee and will continue fighting them every chance I get," Moody wrote in a statement. "Republicans aren't even hiding it — they've admitted these maps are meant to silence voices and votes. Trump is destroying our economy, our communities, and our way of life to serve himself, so he knows he'll lose Congress if he doesn't cheat. And now the governor is threatening to arrest and remove elected representatives who are using legal, legitimate ways to stand against that."
Moody offered support for fellow Democrats who left Austin in a bid to "protect all Texans' votes" and called out Abbott for attempting an illegal power grab.
"As for the governor's threats, while Trump is trying to steal a future election with his maps, our governor wants to steal elections that already happened last year," he said. "It's not just immoral — it's illegal. He can't declare vacancies, absolutely can't fill them, and no honest person could claim a legislative tactic long used by both sides is a crime. It's disgusting, fascist nonsense."
"We need a democracy that works for the people again, one we can all trust," Moody continued. "I won't quit fighting fascism on all fronts until that dream is a reality again."
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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