The Texas governor is threatening to arrest Texas Democrats for refusing to participate in a special session he has called to virtually eliminate representation in Congress for 8 million Texas Democrats.

In August 2025, Texas House Democrats left the state to break quorum and prevent a vote on a Republican-proposed congressional redistricting map. This map is widely viewed as designed to favor Republicans and reduce the political influence of approximately 8 million Texas Democrats. Governor Greg Abbott has publicly threatened to remove or arrest these Democratic lawmakers if they do not return to the state to participate in the special session.

Texas law allows for fines and removal efforts against lawmakers who break quorum, and Attorney General Ken Paxton has supported arresting absent Democrats regardless of their location. The redistricting effort is part of a broader political strategy supported by Republican leadership, including former President Donald Trump, to reshape congressional districts in Texas. While the governor's threat is real and backed by legal mechanisms, the claim that the special session's purpose is to 'virtually eliminate representation' is a partisan characterization reflecting the Democrats' perspective on the redistricting plan's impact rather than an objective legal fact.

Nonetheless, the session aims to redraw districts in a way that significantly reduces Democratic electoral power in Texas.