Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) defended his state’s controversial redistricting move as necessary, given the Democrats’ own gerrymandering.
Texas has become the center of a national dispute over redistricting after the latest electoral map heavily favored Republicans, stripping the Democrats of five seats. In an appearance on Fox News’s Hannity, Abbott defended the move and pointed to the Democrats’ redistricting in blue states.
“Donald Trump won in all five of these seats that we will be making Republican seats. The same thing should apply in all those other states,” Abbott said, alluding to host Sean Hannity’s monologue in which he “pointed out the gross gerrymandering in these blue states [that] rejected Republican candidates for office that should be serving those things, should be serving our country.”
“It’s the gerrymandering in the blue states that has distorted politics in America,” he added.
Responding to threats from other blue state governors who said they were now “at war” over Texas’s redistricting efforts, such as Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY), Abbott argued that they were bluffing and couldn’t follow through on the threats.
“That’s a bunch of crazy bluster. Democrats are freaking out because they are realizing Texas has the authority to redistrict, and we’re going to do so in a way that’s going to lead to these additional seats that will vote Republican, and they will be serving in Congress in the next session,” he said.
“And so Democrats are freaking out about it, engaging in rhetoric, but I don’t think they have the capability of actually living up to it and doing anything about it. Texas will continue to fight for what is right, and that’s exactly what we are doing,” Abbot added.
The fight over redistricting reached new heights on Monday after 50 Democrats fled the state to strip Abbott of the quorum needed to enact the measure. The Texas House voted 85-6 to issue arrest warrants for the lawmakers, though they can only be arrested within Texas’s borders.
“Texas House Democrats abandoned their duty to Texans,” Abbott said in a statement earlier on Monday. “By fleeing the state, Texas House Democrats are holding hostage critical legislation to aid flood victims and advance property tax relief. There are consequences for dereliction of duty.”
TEXAS HOUSE PASSES MOTION FOR ARREST WARRANTS FOR DEMOCRATS WHO FLED STATE
“To ensure compliance, I ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans,” he added. “This order will remain in effect until all missing Democrat House members are accounted for and brought to the Texas Capitol.”
Texas Democrats, many of whom are temporarily staying in Chicago, issued a one-sentence statement in lieu of threats of arrests and fines from Abbott and state Republicans: “Come and take it.”
