Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives are getting on a plane to fly out of state in a last-ditch effort to block a voter suppression bill after Republican Governor Greg Abbott, facing a possibly challenging re-election bid, called the legislature back into special session to make it harder for Texans to vote.
“A majority of Democrats in the Texas House plan to fly to Washington, D.C., on Monday afternoon in a bid to again deny Republicans the quorum needed to pass new voting restrictions with 27 days left in a special legislative session called largely for that purpose,” The Texas Tribune reports.
At least 51 of the House’s 67 Democrats need to leave the state for the plan to work, at least temporarily. But they are putting themselves at personal risk as well.
“All absentees for whom no sufficient excuse is made may, by order of a majority of those present, be sent for and arrested, wherever they may be found, by the sergeant-at-arms or an officer appointed by the sergeant-at-arms for that purpose, and their attendance shall be secured and retained,” the House rules state, according to the Tribune. “The house shall determine on what conditions they shall be discharged.”
Abbott has a “colossal $55 million war chest” but is facing a primary challenge from his own party and, should he get the nomination, a possible challenge from Beto O’Rourke. Voting rights expert Ari Berman says there are three million unregistered voters in Texas and two million of them would vote Democratic if they could be motivated to register and go to the polls.
Congressman Joaquin Castro, former HUD Secretary Julián Castro, and former Texas state senator Wendy Davis are also among Abbott’s possible challengers.
Already considered the “hardest state to vote in,” Texas is doing everything possible to make it even harder, and to make people afraid to vote.
Texas Attorney General is prosecuting a man with two months left on his parole for voting. Hervis Rogers went viral on social media after waiting in line six hours to vote. He now potentially faces 40 years in prison.
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