EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — State Rep. Vince Perez, D-El Paso, said he will continue to do whatever it takes to fight Republican-led congressoinal redistricting efforts which he says will dilute the power of minority votes in the state if adopted.
Monday, Aug. 18, quorum was made at the beginning of the second special session called by Gov. Greg Abbott as House Democrats returned to Austin.
Perez was among 50 House Democrats who left the state on Aug. 3 to break the quorum in the House and stall Republican redistricting efforts in the first special session.
Democrats say that redistricting is being pushed by President Donald Trump from Washington and would dilute the actual power of Hispanic and Black votes in Texas.
Perez also said he was disappointed to see some of his colleagues make commitments to break quorum only long enough to end the first special session.
“I was disappointed that some of my colleagues made public commitments to their constituents to break quorum long enough to end only the first special session. I do not believe setting a fixed, public end date on a fight of this magnitude was the best course of action, but a quorum has now been reached,” Perez said.
“I was proud to be with my colleagues in Illinois and I will continue to fight with them here in Austin to oppose this map,” Perez added.
Here is his statement in its entirety:
“As I said at the onset of this fight, I am prepared to do whatever is necessary to prevent this shameful map from becoming law. Whether it be to break quorum, fight on the floor, even resignation or the prospect of expulsion — there is no price I am unwilling to pay to spare the people I serve from being treated as second-class citizens. This is going to be the civil rights struggle of our time and I am going to be in this fight unafraid of what consequences may come.
“I was disappointed that some of my colleagues made public commitments to their constituents to break quorum long enough to end only the first special session. I do not believe setting a fixed, public end date on a fight of this magnitude was the best course of action, but a quorum has now been reached.
“I was proud to be with my colleagues in Illinois and I will continue to fight with them here in Austin to oppose this map. Texas Republicans are recklessly treating civil rights like speed bumps— slowing them down just enough to keep white Texas residents in control of at least 70% of all proposed congressional districts in the state — while daring the courts to stop them. It is a calculated, cold-blooded attempt to reintroduce racial segregation into the very heart of our democracy.
“While I wish House and Senate Democrats could prevent these maps from ever taking effect in the first place, I will now dedicate my efforts to continuing this fight in the House chamber, where all questions, statements, and debate will be used in legal proceedings challenging these maps. While Republicans attempt to erase the voices of my constituents through this map, I will make certain those voices are heard clearly in this chamber.”
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