AUSTIN, Tx., August 30, 2025: Several Texas House Democrats tried to stop the Republicans from enacting midterm redistricting maps by leaving Texas to break quorum. The Texas legislature failed to approve the redistricting maps after the legislature could not achieve a quorum during the first session. Texas governor Greg Abbott immediately called for a second session. Of the El Paso House members, only one officially joined the quorum break while another member supported the quorum break but did not participate due to receiving medical attention.
On August 3, left Texas to keep the Republicans from redistricting to give themselves an additional five congressional seats. Sixty-two Democrats left Texas to keep the Republican from achieving a quorum to adopt the new congressional maps.
In response to the quorum break, Texas governor Greg Abbott ordered Texas law enforcement to locate and return the missing Democrats to Austin. The Democrats breaking quorum were also assessed $500 in fines per day they were not at the capitol during the first special session, in addition to the prorated amount for the costs involved in locating them and returning them.
Of the five El Paso state legislators, only one, Vince Perez (D-77) broke quorum. Claudia Ordaz (D-79) stated on her Instagram account that she was out on medical leave receiving IVF treatment but that she supported the quorum breakers. However, Ordaz did not leave Texas.
The rest of the Texas legislators, Mary E. González (D-75), Joe Moody (D-78), and Eddie Morales, Jr. (D-74) did not participate in the quorum break.
With strong opposition from the Democrats, on the second special session called by the governor, the Texas Legislature adopted the controversial congressional maps on August 23 after the House voted. The maps were adopted at the state Senate 18 to 11 votes the day before. César Blanco (D-29) voted against the maps.
Before the vote, Blanco said he was voting against the maps because, “the Framers of our Constitution did not envision maps being redrawn whenever it suited those in power.” Blanco added that the congressional maps should “follow the census, so that representation would follow the people,” and “not politics.” Blanco concluded with, “if the rules of representation can be rewritten whenever politically convenient, then stability is lost, fairness is abandoned, and the people s’ faith in democracy itself is shaken.”
The State House adopted the maps 88 to 52 with ten absent Democrats. El Paso’s González, Ordaz, Morales, Moody and Perez, delegation voted against the maps. On August 29, Texas governor Greg Abbott signed the newly adopted congressional maps into law.
Although the El Paso delegation voted against the legislation, local El Paso Democrat groups publicly withdrew their support of the El Paso Democrats that did not break quorum.
On August 28, the Stonewall Democrats of El Paso issued a statement that “with an overwhelming consensus” they are joining the Eastside Democrats of El Paso and the El Paso Tejano Democrats Chapter” in not supporting or endorsing Gonález, Moody and Morales for not breaking quorum. “The decision was not made lightly,” but the Democrats “need leaders who are willing to sacrifice power and position to defend democracy,” read the Stonewall Democrats statement.
Vince Perez, on the other hand, faces $9,354.25 in fines and pro rata costs for law enforcement costs associated with trying to locate the missing Democrats for breaking quorum.
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