Rep. Jessica González is in Chicago breaking quorum. Photo courtesy of Birk Wilkison.
Representative Jessica González is no stranger to putting up a fight in Texas politics. The Oak Cliff-born representative led the charge in May 2021 as vice chair of the Elections Committee, walking out of the Texas House of Representatives in protest of a bill restricting the methods voters cast their ballots in the state.
Although that bill passed despite the quorum breaks, she is currently out of state with more than 50 Democratic lawmakers that left Texas Sunday, August 3 in protest against a redistricting map. The Texas House requires 100 members in order to move forward with business and with 88 Republicans, Democrats are needed to vote on agenda items.
González said that the people in her district voted for her to be able to represent their voices, and that means going the extra mile.
“They want me to be in the fight for democracy. They don’t want any part of this political game. They don’t want to be a chip, right? And that is currently happening right now, and so for me, I mean, I feel very strongly about that, because it’s just going to be dangerous,” she said.
Typically, redistricting happens every 10 years after the most recent census data is complete in order to account for population changes, however, the task was one of the 18 listed agenda items Governor Greg Abott issued on July 21 for the summer special session.
The redistricting maps have been under much scrutiny over the past week since the release of the proposed map, which has the potential “to draw an additional five Republican congressional seats” in the 2026 midterm elections.
“This is going to have a larger impact on our entire country,” she said.
Although major district changes are not directly hitting Oak Cliff, the extent in which the changes will hit other communities influenced Rep. González’s decision to stand with House Democrats.
“Texas is going to be the first place,” she said. “They’re planning on doing it in other states. They want to have a super, super, super majority. It’s not just Texas, it’s going to be other states.”
As of Friday afternoon, Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked the Texas Supreme Court to expel 13 Democrats from the state House, including Rep. González. Now, she has been listed for removal from office in addition to facing a warrant waiting for her upon her return to Texas and potentially hundreds of dollars in fines for missing official business without permission.
“These additional lawsuits, or these threats, things like that I think this kind of further illustrates right to people to what extent they’re willing to go,” she said, “because they know they can’t win the court of public opinion, so they’re trying to do the courts.”
