Abbott Vows To Use ‘Every Tool’ To Round Up And Arrest Runaway Texas Dems
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is escalating the battle over redistricting by vowing to use “every tool” available to pursue the more than 50 Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to prevent a vote on a GOP-backed congressional map. In an interview aired Friday, Abbott signaled his intent to keep the pressure on indefinitely, saying he would call special sessions “for years” if necessary until the Democrats return and the map is approved.
“These runaway Democrats are going to be held accountable,” Abbott told NBC News, refusing to rule out arrests and making it clear the standoff will not end with the passage of time. “It doesn’t matter how long they stay in Illinois. I’ll call special session after special session, and the congressional map will stay at the top of the agenda.”
The dispute centers on the proposed redistricting plan that would increase Republican representation by as many as five congressional seats, boosting the party’s control of Texas’s 38-member delegation heading into the 2026 midterms. The map can’t move forward until enough Democrats return to Austin to reach quorum.
Democrats argue the map is a power grab, but Abbott says the changes are necessary after shifts in voting patterns since 2021.
“A lot of Trump voters were lumped into Democrat districts under the old map. This is about making sure every voter has the chance to elect someone who actually represents them,” Abbott said. “The law has changed, the facts have changed, and now the lines will change.”
Abbott’s firm stance comes as support from national Republicans intensifies. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) revealed Thursday that FBI Director Kash Patel had approved federal assistance in helping locate the AWOL Democrats after Cornyn sent a formal request. The FBI has not commented publicly, but the news has rattled Democrat lawmakers in Washington, who have accused the Trump administration of “weaponizing” law enforcement.
“Shouldn’t the FBI be tracking down terrorists, drug traffickers and child predators?” asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), accusing Trump of turning federal agents into political enforcers. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed that sentiment, calling the move “authoritarianism” and claiming Democrats are merely defending democracy.
President Trump, for his part, defended the move earlier this week, stating that federal action may be necessary if Democrats are allowed to sabotage the redistricting process through procedural gamesmanship. “If they’re allowed to flee and paralyze the process, then every legislature in the country becomes ungovernable,” Trump said.
In addition to pursuing the rogue lawmakers themselves, Texas Republicans are now targeting their financial backers. Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation Wednesday into “Powered by People,” a political organization led by failed presidential and gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke. The group has been helping fund the Democrats’ Illinois stay, and Paxton says the operation may have crossed legal lines related to bribery and campaign finance.
“These jet-setting runaways have already lost public trust by abandoning our state,” Paxton said. “Texans deserve to know if they were paid off to do it.”
Despite mounting pressure, the Democrat lawmakers show no signs of returning, with some hinting they may stay away until the current legislative session expires. But Abbott has made it clear that the state will not back down.
“If they think they can run out the clock, they’ve got another thing coming,” Abbott said. “Texas law is clear, and so is my resolve. These legislators abandoned their duty — and now they’ll answer for it.”