Texas Governor Greg Abbott escalated his confrontation with state House Democrats on Monday, issuing a stark warning after dozens of lawmakers fled the state to block Republican redistricting efforts. Abbott said the lawmakers’ actions could expose them not only to removal from office, but also to serious felony charges under Texas law.
The showdown began Sunday when roughly two dozen Democratic members of the Texas House boarded flights to Chicago, Illinois, deliberately denying Republicans the quorum required to move forward with a redistricting vote. The maneuver mirrors past walkouts by Democrats attempting to halt GOP-backed legislation, but Abbott made clear this time he intends to respond far more aggressively.
In a statement released Monday morning, Abbott ordered the lawmakers to return immediately.
“The derelict Democrat House members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the House reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025,” Abbott said.
He warned that any lawmaker who failed to appear would face removal from the Texas House under Attorney General Opinion KP-0382, which allows for declaring a seat vacant if a legislator abandons their duties.
But Abbott did not stop there.
Felony Bribery Charges on the Table
The governor also raised the possibility of criminal prosecution, saying some Democrats may have violated Texas bribery laws if they solicited or accepted financial assistance to offset fines associated with their absence.
“I think they face a possibility of facing bribery charges, which is a second-degree felony in Texas,” Abbott said.
Under Texas law, a second-degree felony can carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
Abbott added that the risk extends beyond the lawmakers themselves.
“The same could be true for any other person who ‘offers, confers, or agrees to confer’ such funds to fleeing Democrat House members,” he said.
The governor further vowed to use his full extradition authority to demand the return of any lawmakers or individuals suspected of committing crimes related to the walkout.
“I will use my full extradition authority to demand the return to Texas of any potential out-of-state felons,” Abbott declared.
Democrats Respond: “Come and Take It”
Late Sunday night, Abbott threatened jail time and expulsion unless the lawmakers returned by Monday afternoon. Within hours, the Texas House Democratic Caucus issued a defiant response.
Their statement was brief and blunt:
“Come and take it.”
The message echoed a long-standing Texas slogan associated with resistance and defiance, signaling that Democrats had no intention of backing down.
Democrats argue the GOP redistricting plan is designed to give Republicans a significant electoral advantage, potentially netting them as many as five additional U.S. House seats. Republicans counter that redistricting is a constitutional responsibility of the legislature and that Democrats are abandoning their duties to obstruct the process.
A High-Stakes Political Clash
The confrontation highlights the deepening political divide in Texas, where redistricting battles have increasingly become flashpoints for broader national fights over election integrity, representation, and legislative authority.
While Democrats frame their walkout as a last resort to stop what they call partisan gerrymandering, Abbott and Republican leaders see it as a deliberate dereliction of duty — one that may now carry legal consequences.
Whether prosecutors ultimately pursue charges remains unclear, but Abbott’s message was unmistakable: fleeing the state will not shield lawmakers from accountability.
As Monday’s deadline passes, the standoff could move from political theater into uncharted legal territory — with careers, criminal liability, and control of Texas politics hanging in the balance.
