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A Democrat who left Texas in an effort to prevent the Republican governor from redistricting faced an awkward situation during a conference call with Gavin Newsom.
On Wednesday, the Texas House approved new congressional maps designed to give Republicans greater advantage in 2026, advancing a partisan gerrymander that sparked weeks of Democratic protests and broadened the national redistricting conflict.
Nicole Collier, along with over 50 Democratic lawmakers, exited the state in protest against the bill, arguing it unfairly gerrymanders the predominantly red Texas. She returned Monday after the two-week absence.
Collier, who continued her protest by staying overnight at the State House, further drew attention while on a conference call from the Capitol bathroom.
During the call with DNC Chair Ken Martin, California Governor Newsom, and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, she argued that the law violated the Voting Rights Act.
However, mid-conversation, she was told that being away from the State Assembly floor was a felony.
‘Sorry, I have to leave. They said it’s a felony for me to do this. Apparently, I can’t be on the floor or in a bathroom,’ the seven-term legislator said, addressing someone off-camera.
‘You told me I was only allowed to be here in the bathroom. No, hold on – bye everybody, I’ve got to go.’
Nicole Collier has made headlines since the Democrats returned by sleeping at her desk in the State House in further protest of the bill which they say unfairly gerrymanders the red state
She continued to raise her profile participating in a conference call with DNC Chair Ken Martin, California Governor Newsom (pictured) and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, where she initially said the law would break the Voting Rights Act
It is not immediately clear what law she may have been breaking by appearing on the call, though she is currently protesting a rule instituted on the fleeing Democrats to promise they be escorted by a police officer if they left the State House again.
Booker and Newsom were immediately indignant at what had happened and defended Collier.
‘Let me tell you something, Rep. Collier in the bathroom has more dignity than Donald Trump in the Oval Office,’ Booker said.
Newsom, who has spent the past week antagonizing Trump on social media, nodded his head and said: ‘There you go.’
‘What they’re trying to do right there is silence an American leader, silence a black woman, and that is outrageous. What we just witnessed, them trying to shut her down and saying it’s illegal for her to be in the bathroom and on this call, this is the lengths that they’re going to in Texas.’
The approval came at the urging of President Donald Trump , who pushed for the extraordinary mid-decade revision of congressional maps to give his party a better chance at holding onto the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections.
The maps, which would give Republicans five more winnable seats, need to be approved by the GOP-controlled state Senate and signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott before they become official.
But the Texas House vote had presented the best chance for Democrats to derail the redraw.
However, mid-conversation, Collier was told that being away from the State Assembly floor or the bathroom was a felony
Booker and Newsom were immediately indignant at what had happened and defended Collier
The approval of the Texas maps on an 88-52 party-line vote is likely to prompt California´s Democratic-controlled state Legislature this week to approve of a new House map creating five new Democratic-leaning districts.
But the California map would require voter approval in November.
Democrats have also vowed to challenge the new Texas map in court and complained that Republicans made the political power move before passing legislation responding to deadly floods that swept the state last month.
The liberals tried to resist by fleeing the state. In early August, 57 lawmakers skipped town, flying to Illinois and New York in a dramatic attempt to block the GOP’s map vote.
They returned 18 days later only to find themselves under near-constant surveillance by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Collier of Fort Worth refused to sign the paperwork authorizing DPS monitoring and instead stayed inside the chamber for more than 30 hours, even sleeping overnight on the floor.
Her stand drew supporters to the Capitol Tuesday evening, but the crowd was evacuated when someone posted a threat on social media urging others to ‘go to the Capitol and shoot and kill those who will not allow lawmakers to leave,’ according to local outlet KVUE.
‘For the safety of those at the Texas State Capitol, and out of an abundance of caution, the Texas Department of Public Safety evacuated the public from the Capitol building around 6:30 this evening,’ DPS announced. ‘It will remain closed to the public for the remainder of the day.’
U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro, right, speaks to protesters gather in the rotunda outside the House Chamber
Texas troopers watch from the balcony as lawmakers debate a redrawn U.S. congressional map in Texas
Meanwhile, support for Collier mounted, with the Fort Worth representative receiving a call from former vice president Kamala Harris.
Collier shared on X that Harris told her: ‘You are among those that history will reveal was among the heroes of this moment, so you just stay strong.’
Collier has also filed a lawsuit against Texas, alleging ‘illegal restraint by the government’ for not being allowed to leave.
‘I refuse to comply with this unreasonable, un-American and unnecessary request,’ Collier told CBS News.
By Wednesday, the Texas House was voting on amendments to the new maps, with the final vote approved later in the day.
Meanwhile, Newsom has promised to redraw congressional districts in his state in response, setting up a redistricting arms race between the nation’s two most populous states.
