Two high-profile Democrats visited the Lone Star State recently and credited Democrats in the Texas House for igniting a nationwide redistricting battle.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker addressed 650 people at the Dallas County Democratic Party’s Johnson Jordan Dinner last Monday.
Democratic lawmakers from Texas travelled to Chicago over the summer as they broke quorum, delaying a vote by House Republicans to add five Congressional seats.
“By breaking quorum, you ignited our victories, and you showed us how to fight and win in 2026,” Pritzker told Democrats. “You inspire us all. In this moment when we Democrats are sorting through who’s on Team Fight and who’s on Team Cave, it’s important to remember that the fighters are those who’ve been through the battles before and realize to win, you need to be relentless.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom travelled to Houston, where he spoke before hundreds of Democrats. He told them they need to have their sights set on the U.S. House next year.
“There is no more important race in our lifetimes than the House of Representatives and taking back the House and getting Speaker Jeffries sworn in next November,” Newsom said. “It’s the whole thing. It’s the whole thing.”
Democrats and multiple organizations in Texas filed suit against the state in an attempt to block the newly drawn Congressional maps approved by Republicans.
A three-judge panel at the federal court in El Paso held a trial between October 1-10, but they have not decided yet whether to uphold or throw out the maps. Any decision will likely be appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. Because there is no court ruling yet, some candidates running for Congress, particularly Democrats, haven’t been able to file their campaign paperwork after the process began Saturday, November 8. The filing deadline is Monday, December 8.