In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor ask University of Houston law professor David Froomkin to help them break down the legal cases seeking to remove 13 Democrats from the Texas House.
Redistricting Texas 2025
A panel of federal judges has blocked Texas’ attempt to use new congressional maps in 2026. Republican state lawmakers drew the new districts to pick up five additional U.S. House seats after a pressure campaign waged by President Donald Trump’s political team. Texas House Democrats left the state during the unusual mid-decade redrawing, delaying passage of the maps and attracting national attention to what became a multi-state redistricting battle.
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Redistricting Texas 2025
Texas Senate approves new congressional lines as House Democrats remain out of state
Democrats’ absence has halted work in the Texas House, which must also approve the new boundaries, for more than a week.
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Redistricting Texas 2025
Ken Paxton asks judge to jail Beto O’Rourke for fundraising Texas Dems’ walkout
Paxton sued O’Rourke and his political group, Powered by People, last week, arguing that the group was deceptively fundraising for and illegally supporting Texas Democrats’ walkout.
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Redistricting Texas 2025
Abbott vows to immediately call Texas lawmakers back to work if special session ends without new maps
The leaders of both chambers said they would adjourn for the session Friday if Democrats do not return, while the governor said he might add more items to his agenda.
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Redistricting Texas 2025
Texas Supreme Court won’t rule for weeks on GOP requests to expel Democrats who left the state
The governor and attorney general have asked the court to find that Democratic lawmakers abandoned their seats when they left Texas to delay a new congressional map.
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Redistricting Texas 2025
In redistricting clash, Texas GOP flexes power to shut down Democrats’ last tool of resistance
Since Democratic lawmakers left Texas to delay Republicans’ new map, state leaders have challenged the limits of traditional democratic norms to break the impasse.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Republican Party of Texas sets stage to censure members who stepped out of line in likely bid to block them from primary ballot
Republicans who are censured by their county party leaders may be blocked from the primary ballot under a new party rule passed last year, that is expected to be tested by the courts.
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2026 Texas Elections
Judge blocks Beto O’Rourke from financially supporting Texas Democrats who left the state
The order came at the request of Attorney General Ken Paxton, who O’Rourke accused in a separate lawsuit of going on a “fishing expedition, constitutional rights be damned.”
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Redistricting Texas 2025
Ken Paxton asks Texas Supreme Court to expel 13 House Democrats over redistricting standoff
Gov. Greg Abbott previously asked the court to expel Rep. Gene Wu, the House Democratic leader. Paxton disputed the governor’s authority to make the request.
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Redistricting Texas 2025
Gov. Greg Abbott asks Texas Supreme Court to expel House Democratic leader who left state
Legal experts say it’s “inconsistent with the Texas Constitution” to argue that leaving the state to halt legislative action qualifies as abandoning an office.
