Texas Gov. Greg Abbott immediately calls second special session for redistricting
The state Legislature has been locked in a standoff over a push to notch more seats for Republicans in next year's midterms.
By Liz Crampton 08/15/2025 12:20 PM EDT Updated: 08/15/2025 01:32 PM EDT
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott immediately called another special session to pass a new congressional map, after the first attempt failed due to Texas Democrats leaving the state to deny Republicans the ability to carve out additional GOP seats.
When Speaker Dustin Burrows gaveled into the second special session, which began just two hours after the first one wrapped, he announced that the chamber yet again did not meet quorum, thanks to Democrats remaining out of state to protest the redraw. President Donald Trump ordered Texas Republicans to extract five more seats in Congress to increase the odds that Republicans retain the House in the midterms.
Abbott’s proclamation was largely the same as the first one, which lays out 19 agenda items, including redistricting and disaster relief for Central Texas flood victims.
“Delinquent House Democrats ran away from their responsibility to pass crucial legislation to benefit the lives of Texans,” the Republican governor said in a statement. “We will not back down from this fight. That’s why I am calling them back today to finish the job.”
Most Texas Democrats on the lam are stationed in Illinois but the stalemate appears to be winding down, with the House Democratic Caucus setting conditions for their return.
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https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/15/texas-abbott-second-special-session-redistricting-00511787
