Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during the McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner, Sunday April 27, 2025, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Reba Saldanha)
Share this @internewscast.com

(The Hill) – Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) said on Sunday that the state would protect Texas Democrats who fled to the Prairie State over GOP efforts to redraw the Lone Star State’s congressional maps.

“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. 

“It’s Ken Paxton who doesn’t follow the law. It’s the leaders of Texas who are attempting not to follow the law,” he continued. “They’re the ones that need to be held accountable.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during the McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner, Sunday April 27, 2025, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Reba Saldanha)
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during the McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner, Sunday April 27, 2025, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Reba Saldanha)

The Illinois governor’s comments came after Texas Democrats left their state to deny their GOP counterparts a quorum, or the minimum number of lawmakers needed to conduct business, during their special session. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) called the special session in part to push forward a new congressional map that would give Republicans five more pick-up opportunities, something President Trump has been pushing for as the GOP braces for a potentially challenging midterm election next year.

A Texas House panel on Saturday advanced the set of maps, teeing them up for a vote on the House floor. Because Republicans enjoy majorities in both chambers and hold the governor’s mansion, the maps are all but assured to pass.

In a bid to stop those maps from passing, Texas Democrats fled the state, mainly traveling to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts all blue strongholds.

Breaking quorum, however, means that each lawmaker incurs a daily penalty of $500 and the possibility of being arrested. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a post on X earlier Sunday argued 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 mid-cycle redistricting underscores how the party is looking to use all tools at their disposal to thwart Republicans from changing their election maps. 

“This is wrong, this is un-American and this is undemocratic,” said state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D). “And America, we need to wake up. Republicans are stealing our democracy right before our very eyes.”

The redistricting battle is opening the possibility to a larger redistricting arms race as blue and red states alike leave the door open to changing their own congressional maps, which would sow uncertainty into next year’s midterms.

But the issue is also placing a spotlight on several potential 2028 hopefuls, including Pritzker and Govs. Gavin Newsom (D) and Ron DeSantis (R), who have all weighed in on the redistricting tit-for-tat.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

U.S. Intercepts Two Additional Suspected Drug Vessels in Pacific Ocean Operation

The U.S. military expanded its crackdown on drug trafficking in South America…

Prosecutors Unveil Shocking Details: Alicia Andrews Accused in Orchestrating Deadly Attack on Rapper Julio Foolio in Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Alicia Andrews, a 22-year-old, played a significant role…

Oregon School Incident: Students Accidentally Served Pretzels Contaminated with Oven Cleaner

In an unsettling incident at Fowler Middle School in Tigard, a suburb…

Texas Secretary of State Sparks Debate with Viral Post on Voter Fraud Allegations

Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson has reignited discussions about election integrity…

United Way Appoints Dynamic New Leader to Propel Growth in Liberty and Long County

A tide of transformation is sweeping through Liberty and Long Counties as…

Israel Confirms Identities of Additional Hostage Victims Amid Vance’s Diplomatic Mission to Meet Netanyahu

TEL AVIV – In a solemn update, Israeli authorities have confirmed the…

Columbia County Arrest Sparks Urgent Action Against Human Sex Trafficking in the CSRA

AUGUSTA, Ga. – An Augusta woman finds herself behind bars following serious…

Yoders Country Market Implements Rounding Policy to Nearest Nickel

BULLS GAP, Tenn. (WJHL) — Shoppers using cash at Yoders Country Market…

George Santos Considers Restitution for Fraud Victims Amid Ongoing Controversy

Former Republican Congressman George Santos, recently released from federal prison following a…

Piatt County Non-Profits Implement Mental Health Initiatives Following Referendum Approval

In Monticello, Illinois, the community is witnessing the positive effects of a…

Texas Parents Allegedly Abandon Child During Move

In Copperas Cove, Texas, a 12-year-old boy returned from school to a…

Potential SNAP Benefit Loss Threatens 260,000 South Carolina Households Amid Ongoing Government Shutdown

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) — South Carolina officials are sounding the alarm as…