Editor’s Note: The video above is KXAN’s earlier report on the Texas Democrats’ media gathering featuring Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on July 25, 2025.
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Following a journey toCalifornia and Illinois on Friday, a group of Texas House Democrats are traveling to New Mexico to meet with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Their objective is to “continue the Caucus’ national initiative to create a barrier against the corrupt, racially driven redistricting plan being imposed on Texans by Donald Trump through Greg Abbott,” as stated in a press release.
The group on the journey includes:
- Speaker Pro Tempore Joe Moody, D-El Paso
- Vice Chair of the Redistricting Committee Jon Rosenthal, D-Cypress
- State Representative John Bucy, D-Austin
- State Representative Salman Bhojani, D-Euless
- State Representative Erin Gámez, D-Brownsville
- State Representative Josey Garcia, D-San Antonio
- State Representative Christian Manuel, D-Nederland
We’re going to meet with leaders who prioritize people during a crisis,” Moody said. “A recent flood in Ruidoso claimed three lives, and disaster relief there has been New Mexico’s main concern ever since. Meanwhile, weeks afterextremely severe floods that resulted in 137 fatalities— many of whom are children —families in the Hill Countryare still waiting and observing as our state prioritizes a polarizing political power play.
State Representative John Bucy, a Democrat from Austin, suggested that this was not the last out-of-state journey for Texas Democrats. He mentioned that the group requested Governor Lujan Grisham to introduce them to additional state leaders across the country to raise concerns about developments in Texas.
“We will keep doing everything possible to resist this authoritarian power grab that Donald Trump is implementing,” Bucy stated. He mentioned that the issue of a quorum break was not discussed during the conversation with the Democratic governor.
Initial speculation about redrawing Texas’ U.S. Congressional map began in early June, intensifying when Governor Greg Abbott included the issue on the agenda for the 30-day special session.
Abbott mentioned that the redistricting requests are “in response to constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice,” following the department’s letter to Texas, which alleged that its current districts are racially discriminatory. On Monday,The Texas Senate proposed the notion of issuing a subpoena to the person who wrote the letter., Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon.
Two weeks prior, President Trumphe stated his objective is to win five seatsfrom Texas, from Democratic to Republican.
If it succeeds, Texas would have 30 Republican U.S. Representatives compared to eight Democratic U.S. Representatives — representing a 79-21% distribution. Republicans currently control 66% of congressional seats, despite receiving only 58% of the total congressional votes in the 2024 election.
The five seats might play a significant role in the second half of Trump’s term, as he currently has a narrow 219-212 advantage in the U.S. House, with four seats empty (three due to the passing of Democratic members).
In 2018, during the final midterm election while Trump was president, the Democrats gained control of 41 seats. They won two congressional seats in Texas, where Republicans received just 50.4% of the total House votes across the state (yet still maintained 64% of the House seats).
These trips outside the state have also occurred during a period when some caucus members have pledged toescaping the state to prevent a quorum.If 51 out of the 62 House Democrats are absent, the House would not meet the two-thirds requirement needed to carry out its duties. All 11 Senate Democrats might also be missing, following the resignation of former State Senator Kelly Hancock, which reduced the Senate’s quorum requirement.
During a quorum break, Texas officials have the authority to compel members to return to Austin to fulfill their responsibilities, which is why Democrats may seek a temporary location in a supportive state.
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