This photo taken on Aug. 8, 2025 shows the House of Representatives Chamber in the Texas Capitol in Austin, Texas, the United States. Dozens of Texas Democrats on Friday remained absent to resist the Republican-led redistricting vote, forcing the state House to adjourn for the third time. Texas Attorney General (AG) Ken Paxton, a Republican running for U.S. Senator in the 2026 midterm elections, announced he is filing a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court to remove 13 absent Democratic state representatives from office. (Photo by Brenda Bazan/Xinhua)
HOUSTON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Texas Democrats on Friday remained absent to resist the Republican-led redistricting vote, forcing the state House to adjourn for the third time.
Texas Attorney General (AG) Ken Paxton, a Republican running for U.S. Senator in the 2026 midterm elections, announced he is filing a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court to remove 13 absent Democratic state representatives from office.
State House Speaker Dustin Burrows said Friday he will try to establish a quorum on Monday.
The top Republican in the state House said he is requiring absent Democrats to appear in person to qualify for a certain travel reimbursement and other requests.
As a penalty, Burrows said that 30 percent of every absentee's monthly operating budget "will be reserved and made unavailable for expenditure."
Each absent Democrat also faces a daily fine of 500 U.S. dollars.
"I have asked the Texas Supreme Court to declare what has been clear from the beginning: that the runaway members have officially vacated their offices in the Texas House," Paxton said in a statement.
"When members of the Legislature disregard arrest warrants, refuse to perform their duties, and announce that they intend to prevent the Legislature from exercising its constitutional responsibilities, they have, through words and conduct, demonstrated an intent to relinquish and abandon their offices," the petition reads.
Earlier this week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a petition asking the state Supreme Court to expel Gene Wu, the chair of the Texas House Democrats. Wu is also named in Paxton's petition.
In a response, Wu dismissed the accusation, saying he had not abandoned his office.
The current Congressional map in Texas was drawn in 2021, with Republicans having 25 out of Texas's 38 seats. Pushed directly by U.S. President Donald Trump, Texas Republicans proposed new Congressional lines in late July to redraw existing districts in Austin, Houston, and Dallas in a bid to garner five more seats.
Earlier this week, Trump voiced his full support for the Texas GOP's (Republicans') redistricting plan, claiming Republicans are "entitled to five more seats" in the 2026 midterms in Texas, the largest red state in the country.
Meanwhile, Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin vowed that Democrats will "fight fire with fire," accusing Texas Republicans of trying to "cheat" in the 2026 midterm elections. ■
This photo taken on Aug. 8, 2025 shows a view of the Texas Capitol in Austin, Texas, the United States. Dozens of Texas Democrats on Friday remained absent to resist the Republican-led redistricting vote, forcing the state House to adjourn for the third time.
Texas Attorney General (AG) Ken Paxton, a Republican running for U.S. Senator in the 2026 midterm elections, announced he is filing a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court to remove 13 absent Democratic state representatives from office. (Photo by Brenda Bazan/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Aug. 8, 2025 shows the Texas Supreme Court building in Austin, Texas, the United States. Dozens of Texas Democrats on Friday remained absent to resist the Republican-led redistricting vote, forcing the state House to adjourn for the third time.
Texas Attorney General (AG) Ken Paxton, a Republican running for U.S. Senator in the 2026 midterm elections, announced he is filing a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court to remove 13 absent Democratic state representatives from office. (Photo by Brenda Bazan/Xinhua)