Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wasted no time calling out the move, condemning the Democrats for their lawless behavior.
“Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately. We should use every tool at our disposal to hunt down those who think they are above the law.”
Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately.
We should use every tool at our disposal to hunt down those who think they are above the law.
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) August 3, 2025
And he’s not backing down. Last month, Paxton doubled down on his warning, signaling that legal consequences are coming for those who defy the call of duty.
“If Democrats ignore their duty to their constituents by breaking quorum, they should be found and arrested no matter where they go. The people of Texas elected them to do a job, not run away and hide like cowards… My office stands ready to assist local, state, and federal authorities in hunting down and compelling the attendance of anyone who abandons their office and their constituents for cheap political theater.”
If Democrats ignore their duty to their constituents by breaking quorum, they should be found and arrested no matter where they go. The people of Texas elected them to do a job, not run away and hide like cowards. Lawmakers must answer the special session call and pass the… https://t.co/sxLvZCIOB1
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) July 15, 2025
Now, with Pritzker’s blessing, these fugitive lawmakers are attempting to sabotage the GOP-backed redistricting plan by hiding out in the Windy City.
NBC reports that the “caucus” plans to stay in Chicago for the week, with a press conference already scheduled between Pritzker and the Democrat runaways. The governor, who’s seeking a third term and eyeing a 2028 presidential run, appears eager to cast himself as the left’s next national hero.
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu tried to spin the story with a dramatic statement:
“We’re leaving Texas to fight for Texans. We will not allow disaster relief to be held hostage to a Trump gerrymander. We’re not walking out on our responsibilities; we’re walking out on a rigged system that refuses to listen to the people we represent. As of today, this corrupt special session is over.”
What Wu calls “fighting for Texans” looks a lot more like political theater designed to draw media attention and halt democracy in its tracks.
Pritzker’s involvement dates back to a June speech he gave to Oklahoma Democrats, where he began laying the groundwork to support the fleeing Texas delegation. According to reports, he privately met with Democrat leaders and promised them a safe haven in Illinois—complete with hotels, planning space, and logistical backing.
But while these Democrats enjoy hotel suites in Chicago, the legal heat is rising back in Texas.
Republican lawmakers passed a law in 2023 allowing fines of $500 per day for legislators who flee the state to block votes. Arrests are also on the table.
Democrat Rep. Ann Johnson, who joined the flight, defended their escape, stating:
“Democrats have got to stand up at this point and tell every individual in this nation, ‘This is not normal. This is not democracy.’”
But many Americans would argue otherwise—what’s not normal is elected officials abandoning their posts, hiding in another state, and calling it patriotism.
These demoncrats should be removed from office, replaced immediately, arrested, fined. Let Chicago and Boston keep them! Texas is better off without them.
These demoncrats should be removed from office, replaced immediately, arrested, fined. Let Chicago and Boston keep them! Texas is better off without them.