EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Texas state Sen. César J. Blanco, D-El Paso, joined fellow Democratic senators in walking out of the Senate Chamber on Tuesday, Aug. 12 as the Republican-pushed redistricting map was brought up.
Senate Bill 4, as it is known in the upper chamber, passed 19-2 with nine members absent.
The House version of the bill has been stalled since about 50 House Democrats bolted the state to break quorum. Democrats say the rare mid-decade redistricting effort is being driven by President Trump and would water down Hispanic and Black votes.
Blanco issued the following statement:
“Texans overwhelmingly want lawmakers focused on flood relief and disaster preparedness first. Yet Republicans are spending valuable time on an unpopular scheme to redraw political maps — something voters across Texas don’t see as a priority.
“Politicians are trying to choose their voters to protect their own power. If they can do this now, they will gerrymander before every election, ending voters’ ability to choose their leaders altogether. Every day spent on this power grab is a day we are not delivering relief to families still recovering from devastating floods that took 135 lives, destroyed homes, and upended communities.
“Texans deserve leaders who put their needs first, not politics before people. We owe it to our communities to keep our focus where it belongs — helping families rebuild and making sure our state is ready for the next emergency.”
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, issued the following statement:
“Today, the Texas Senate passed the new congressional map, including five new Republican majority districts. The Texas Senate will continue passing this map each legislative session to accurately reflect our state until House Democrats return from their ‘vacation’ and get back to work for the people of Texas.”
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