‘Killed This Corrupt Special Session’

Texas Democrats are claiming victory over their Republican counterparts in their redistricting clash and could return to the state, according to a new report.

Concretely, ABC News detailed that lawmakers are planning on returning to the state if Republicans effectively adjourn the special session called to that end on Friday.

In a release published on Tuesday, Democrats said they “have killed this corrupt special session on behalf of Texas families, exactly what we said we’d do when we left the state.”

However, a spokesperson later told the outlet that plans could change if the GOP changes its strategy over the next days.

“Members are still assessing their strategies going forward and are in a private meeting to make decisions about future plans currently,” the official said.

“If and when Texas House Democrats breaking quorum decide to go home is squarely dependent on the actions the Governor, Speaker, and Texas Republicans in charge make with regard to prioritizing flood victims over redistricting that hurts Texans.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he will call a new special session “immediately,” including the same topics from the first one and potentially others.

Speaking to CBS News earlier this week Abbott said Republicans are “looking at a lot of different alternatives in part to make sure we do have fairness.”

“If you compare Texas to California or Illinois or New York or Massachusetts, those states are truly gerrymandered and have hardly any Republicans,” he added.

State Attorney General Ken Paxton has also asked the state Supreme Court to expel 13 Democrats from the state House. Abbott had already requested the expulsion of Gene Wu, the chair of the Texas House Democrats.

Democrats across the country have already warned they will seek to redistrict their own states if Texas Republicans continue with their initiative. Those leading the charge are the governors of California, New York and Illinois, Gavin Newsom, Kathy Hochul and JB Pritzker.