Gov. Abbott says Republicans are contemplating increasing GOP congressional seats being sought past the 5 already proposed

After failing to succeed in a quorum within the Texas Home on Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed what Republican lawmakers have been saying — that past efforts so as to add 5 GOP congressional seats within the Lone Star State, there have been discussions about in search of so as to add as many as three extra. 

In an unique interview with CBS Information Texas Monday, Governor Abbott mentioned, “What we’re doing is all choices. We’re a whole lot of completely different options partly to verify we do have equity. In the event you examine Texas to California or Illinois or New York or Massachusetts, these states are really gerrymandered and have hardly any Republicans.” 

When requested if Texas has additionally gerrymandered districts, the Governor mentioned, “Nicely, no, there is a greater proportion of Democrats in Texas than within the Congressional delegation than there are Republicans in California, Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts. So if Texas have been to attract its maps the best way the Democratic states have drawn their maps it may means as perhaps a ten seat pick-up.”  

Of California’s 52 Congressional seats, Republicans serve in simply 9. In Illinois, solely 3 of the state’s 17 Congressional districts are served by Republicans. In Texas, Democrats maintain 13 of the state’s 38 Congressional seats. 

Abbott calls out Democrats

The Governor referred to as out Texas Democrats who proceed to interrupt quorum and stop the Home from voting on the brand new Congressional maps favoring Republicans.  Final week, Abbott filed a lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court docket to take away Home Democratic Caucus Chairman Gene Wu, who led Democrats on their out-of-state quorum break. 

Democrats have mentioned they’re doing what their constituents need them to do and level to the Supreme Court docket’s opinion 4 years in the past that mentioned the Texas Structure permits them to interrupt quorum. When requested why that is not an satisfactory protection for the Democrats, Abbott mentioned, “An interstate freeway allows you to go to 100 miles per hour however does not authorize it. It is in opposition to the regulation. Identical factor right here. Although the Structure permits Democrats to interrupt quorum, the Structure doesn’t authorize them to do that. In actual fact the Structure does the precise reverse. It requires them to indicate up and forged votes on payments.” 

When requested if the Structure must be modified as a result of it does not explicitly ban breaking quorum, or if he thought successful the lawsuit would resolve this, Abbott mentioned “If the Supreme Court docket guidelines in favor of the lawsuit that I filed, it should finish quorum breaking. They didn’t consider on the time they wrote the Structure that folks wouldn’t present up and do their job.” 

Eradicating Democrats from their seats

On Monday, the Supreme Court docket launched an expedited schedule for each the Governor and Consultant Wu to file their authorized briefs. Deadlines prolong to September 4. 

Democratic lawmakers who’ve been on the Capitol and who’ve damaged quorum and are out of state criticized the Governor and Republicans. Democratic Consultant Eddie Morales or Eagle Go instructed CBS Information Texas Monday, “I’d say that the final 30 years of a Republican managed statewide workplace from prime down has put us within the state of affairs that we’re in, that they are failing 100% and ensuring that every one Texans are being represented properly, that they are enjoying this political theater and these political video games.” 

Consultant Ramon Romero, Jr., D-Fort Price, who additionally serves as Chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus instructed CBS Information Texas Monday that he believes Republicans will lose the Home in subsequent yr’s midterm elections. “They’re making ready for enormous losses in 2026, and that is why they’ve to do that on the expense of Latino voices which were in Congress for a very long time and have had overwhelming help from their communities. That is what’s actually occurring.” 

Democrats have vowed to remain away for the remainder of the particular session which ends August nineteenth. When requested if he’ll begin the second particular session on that very same day, the Governor mentioned he’ll. 

Watch Eye On Politics at 7:30 Sunday morning on CBS Information Texas on air and streaming.