
Dr. LaKeshia N. Myers
By LaKeshia N. Myers
History has a way of repeating itself, and as we watch Texas Democrats flee their state to block another Republican power grab, those of us who remember the Wisconsin 14’s brave stand in 2011 are experiencing a profound sense of déjà vu.
Fifty Texas House Democrats have left the state to deny Republicans the quorum needed to pass new congressional maps, sparking a constitutional crisis that should remind us all of the lengths politicians will go to preserve democracy. This redistricting scheme comes as Donald Trump openly admits he feels “entitled” to a partisan reward from Texas Republicans, laying bare the cynical political calculations driving this mid-decade map manipulation.
Governor Greg Abbott’s redistricting scheme is nothing short of an attempt to disenfranchise Black and Latino voters across Texas. The proposed maps would eliminate competitive districts and pack minority communities into fewer seats, diluting their political power just as these communities are growing in influence. This is voter suppression dressed up in legal language, and every Texan should be outraged.
Adding insult to injury is Abbott’s inexcusable refusal to call special elections for Congressional District 18 following the tragic deaths of both Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressman Sylvester Turner. Jackson Lee died of pancreatic cancer in July 2024, and Turner, who had won election to fill her seat, died in March 2025. The district has now been without representation for months, leaving hundreds of thousands of predominantly Black and Latino constituents voiceless in Congress. This isn’t just political negligence—it’s deliberate disenfranchisement.
Those of us from Wisconsin remember this playbook well. In 2011, our own Wisconsin 14 fled to Illinois to prevent Scott Walker’s assault on collective bargaining rights through Act 10. They understood that sometimes extraordinary circumstances require extraordinary measures. Democracy isn’t just about following procedures when those procedures are being weaponized against the people.
Abbott has now asked the Texas Supreme Court to remove Democratic Rep. Gene Wu from office, escalating his authoritarian response to legitimate political opposition. He’s also ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to “locate, arrest and return” the Democratic lawmakers, as if elected representatives exercising their constitutional rights are common criminals.
But here’s what Abbott and his allies don’t want you to know: Texas civil warrants have no enforcement power outside the state. Unlike criminal warrants, civil warrants cannot be executed by law enforcement agencies in other states. The Texas Rangers can issue all the warrants they want, but they’re worthless pieces of paper once those lawmakers cross state lines. Abbott’s threats are political theater designed to intimidate, not legitimate legal action.
The courage of these Texas Democrats echoes the stand taken by the Wisconsin 14 more than a decade ago. They’re sacrificing their personal comfort and facing political attacks because they understand that democracy is worth fighting for. They know that once these maps are drawn, the damage to fair representation will last a decade.
This fight isn’t just about Texas—it’s about the future of American democracy. When politicians manipulate district lines to choose their voters instead of voters choosing their representatives, when they leave communities without congressional representation for months on end, when they threaten to remove elected officials for doing their jobs, they’re attacking the very foundations of our republic.
The Texas Democrats deserve our support, not Abbott’s intimidation. Their sacrifice reminds us that democracy isn’t a spectator sport—sometimes it requires us to stand up, speak out, and yes, even leave the building when the alternative is watching our rights get steamrolled.
History will remember who stood with democracy and who stood with power grabs. The Texas Democrats have chosen their side. The question is: have we chosen ours?