As Texas Republicans push a racially gerrymandered map, Illinois leaders join the fight to defend fair representation and voting rights.

Chicago, IL - In case you missed it, Illinois Democrats welcomed Texas House Democrats in Chicago after they left Texas to block Governor Abbott’s attempt to force through a racially gerrymandered congressional map. Their action comes after weeks of Republicans playing political games. Instead of delivering disaster relief to Texans devastated by deadly floods, Governor Abbott – acting on orders from Donald Trump – chose to push a rigged map designed to entrench GOP power and silence voters from marginalized communities.

“What we’re seeing in Texas is a deliberate attempt led by Republicans to silence voters. Governor Abbott and Donald Trump believed they could manipulate the process behind closed doors and escape accountability. What they didn’t count on was a public ready to fight back against their anti-democratic power grab,” said Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez. “Illinois Democrats are proud to stand with Texas House Democrats to protect voting rights, fairness, and representation. Meanwhile, Illinois Republicans have shown no such courage to stand up to Trump, even when it means selling out our democracy.”

Key excerpts from the The Hill: JB Pritzker says Illinois will protect fleeing Texas Democrats

By Caroline Vakil

• “They’re here in Illinois. We’re going to do everything we can to protect every single one of them and make sure that - ’cause we know they’re doing the right thing, we know that they’re following the law,” Pritzker told reporters at a press conference Sunday night held alongside the Texas state lawmakers.

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) called the special session in part to push forward a new congressional map that would give Republicans five more pickup opportunities, something President Trump has been pushing for as the GOP braces for a potentially challenging midterm election next year.

• Breaking quorum, however, means each lawmaker incurs a daily penalty of $500 and the possibility of being arrested. Paxton argued in a post on the social platform X earlier Sunday that “Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately.”

• Texas Democrats’ decision to leave the state - following a similar tactic they took in 2003 when Republicans engaged in midcycle redistricting - underscores how the party is looking to use all tools at its disposal to thwart Republicans from changing the election maps.