Texas GOP Faces Democratic Walkout Over Gerrymandering Plans

Texas Republicans are facing intense criticism for their attempt to redraw congressional maps to gain five additional GOP seats, a move widely seen as a partisan gerrymander ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. In protest, Texas Democrats staged a dramatic walkout, fleeing the state to deny the legislature the quorum needed to pass the maps, prompting civil arrest warrants and calls for FBI assistance to return the absent lawmakers. MSNBC host Joe Scarborough condemned the Republican plan as "idiotic" and "anti-democratic," highlighting the shortsightedness of the move which may provoke similar retaliatory redistricting efforts in blue states like California and New York. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also criticized the Texas GOP for violating the Voting Rights Act and accused them of being driven to cheat due to the bill's unpopularity, linking the effort to President Donald Trump's influence over state Republicans. Texas Governor Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dustin Burrows have aggressively pushed the redistricting effort, threatening consequences for Democrats opposing it. The controversy underscores ongoing national tensions over gerrymandering and electoral fairness, with Democrats pledging to counter Texas' actions by employing similar tactics in their states.