Tensions between Democrats and Republicans in Texas have reached their boiling point.
Fed up with a bill that would restrict voting in the state, at least 51 of Texas’ 67 House Democrats got on a plane and flew to Washington, D.C.
Without the Democratic legislators present, Republicans do not have enough members present to legally proceed to a vote.
The bill that the Democrats are stalling would have implemented new ID requirements for voting by mail, banned 24-hour and drive-thru voting sites and empowered partisan poll watchers.
This is the second time this year that Democrats in the Texas legislature ditched to block voting restriction legislation. In May, they walked out of a legislative session to stop Republicans from passing a different version of the voting restriction bill. That effort succeeded in prompting Republicans to strip one of the most controversial measures out of their legislation, which would have restricted Sunday voting.
Democrats also orchestrated a walkout across state lines in 2003 during a redistricting battle.
The Texas Democrats spent their time in the nation’s Capitol lobbying members of Congress to push through legislation that would protect voting rights at the federal level, and met with a number of prominent lawmakers, including West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The move is seen as largely symbolic: Although Democrats plan to camp out until these bills expire on Aug. 7, Republicans are almost sure to propose new ones next session. Ultimately, without a majority in the chamber, all that the Democrats can do is delay the legislation for a while.
Republicans are vowing to take action: Gov. Greg Abbott said, “Once they step back into the state, they will be arrested and brought back to the Capitol and we will be conducting business.”
They’ve already taken steps in that direction: On July 13, Republicans passed a procedural move known as “the call of the House” try and regain quorum, and another motion asking that “the sergeant at arms, or officers appointed by him, send for all absentees … under warrant of arrest if necessary.”
And it’s all legal, according to Rule 5, Section 8 of the Texas House Code.
Meanwhile, Democrats are determined to keep up their fight.
“If they keep wanting to throw oppressive bills, then we’ll keep fighting them, in whatever way we have to,” Rep. Alex Dominguez said.
