Donald Trump and maga Republicans in Texas ignoring the voters with an aggressive political redstricting take over

Texas Representative Ann Johnson: Why I joined fellow Democrats in breaking quorum in the Texas legislature.

Opinion published in the Houston Chronicle:

The Texas Constitution says we draw political maps once every 10 years — after the census, during a regular session. We did that in 2021.

So why are we back in a summer special session, redrawing the congressional map again❓ (Especially when the state of Texas is mourning the disasterous 135 deaths by drowning, resulting from flash flooding in Kerr County and Hill Country!)

Because Republicans want to give Donald Trump five more seats in Congress. That’s it. This isn’t about policy or population growth — it’s about rigging the game while it’s being played.

Let’s be clear: Breaking quorum isn’t abandonment. Leaving the state — and thus depriving the House of the two-thirds quorum required for voting — is the only tool left to stop this assault on democracy. It’s not easy. It’s not fun. But I’ll take the heat from the governor and political opponents to protect the people I represent.

Because this map targets Houston — the most diverse, most populous city in Texas. It collapses historic Black and brown districts into one another. The 29th District, long rooted in East Houston’s Latino community, would no longer be a Hispanic district. This is surgical segregation: a deliberate attempt to divide neighborhoods, disempower communities of color and silence voters in one of the most racially dynamic cities in America.

The impact will endure, locking in diminished influence and making it harder for these communities to elect leaders who truly reflect their priorities.

I represent Southwest Houston. I know what abandonment looks like. It looks like leaders flying to Cancun in a storm. It looks like refusing to raise the age on assault weapons after the Uvalde massacre. It looks like draining public schools to fund private-school vouchers. 

That’s real abandonment❗

Breaking quorum is stepping between my constituents and harm. I did it in 2021; it was one of the hardest things I’ve done in public service. But some fights are worth it.

This special session includes 18 agenda items. After two weeks, the only thing moving is redistricting. There’s no flood relief bill. No real effort. If the governor wanted to help flood survivors, he could release the funds today. He’s choosing not to.

Some say we should just play harder under the current rules. But this isn’t the game. This is them moving the goalposts, redrawing the field and removing the referee.

And let’s be honest: If Democrats tried to redraw maps mid-decade, Republicans would break quorum too.

Redistricting is different from any other bill. Once it passes, it locks in political power for years to come. That’s why the Texas Constitution determines when we redraw the maps: Once a decade, and after each census. Changing the rules mid-cycle isn’t democracy — it’s cheating.

Democracy isn’t always convenient. But it’s sacred. And when those in power abuse it, we have a duty to resist.

Breaking quorum won’t stop Gov. Greg Abbott forever. But success isn’t just about stopping the bill. It’s also about showing that we stood up.

Because when the other team is on your one-yard line, you don’t just surrender.

You fight. Every down. Every time.And I won’t be complicit in this assault on our democracy, not in the state I love.

Ann Johnson is a three-term Texas state representative serving central and southwest Houston.

Aug 4, 2025
From Rep. Ann Johnson