U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) is calling on the FBI to assist Texas law enforcement in locating and potentially arresting state House Democrats who fled the state to block a Republican-led redistricting vote. In a letter sent Tuesday to FBI Director Kash Patel, Cornyn urged the agency to take “any appropriate steps” to support the state’s efforts to return the absent lawmakers, who left on Sunday to prevent a quorum in the Texas House of Representatives.
The Democratic lawmakers reportedly traveled to states including Illinois and New York in an attempt to block the GOP’s new congressional map. The proposed map is expected to give Republicans an advantage in the 2026 midterm elections by potentially flipping up to five U.S. House seats. Their absence has effectively frozen the legislative process during a 30-day special session called by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).
“In a representative democracy, we resolve our differences by debating and voting, not by running away,” Cornyn said in his letter. He argued that federal assistance is necessary to enforce state law when those involved cross state lines, and referenced the FBI’s capacity to aid state officials in cases involving fugitives or those avoiding legal obligations.
Gov. Abbott, who ordered the arrests of the missing legislators on Monday, has accused them of violating their oaths of office. Under Texas law, state lawmakers who deliberately avoid attending a special session may face a $500 fine for each day they are absent. The governor also launched an investigation into whether the lawmakers broke state bribery laws by accepting financial help to offset these fines—an allegation Cornyn echoed.
“These legislators have committed potential criminal acts in their rush to avoid their constitutional responsibilities,” Cornyn wrote. “They must be fully investigated and held accountable.”
While Cornyn’s letter does not explicitly mention the redistricting effort at the center of the standoff, he emphasized the need for the legislature to address other urgent matters, such as the recent historic flooding that claimed over 100 lives across the state. “Texans are depending on their representatives to govern in moments of crisis,” he wrote.
Critics of the redistricting proposal argue it is a partisan power grab aimed at diluting the influence of Democratic voters, particularly in urban and minority communities. But Republicans, who control both legislative chambers and the governor’s office, contend the new map complies with legal and demographic requirements.
This is not the first time Texas Democrats have fled the state to block a controversial GOP agenda. In 2021, a similar move delayed a restrictive voting law, though Republicans eventually passed it.
Democratic leaders have so far not responded publicly to Cornyn’s letter, but political analysts say the situation could quickly escalate into a broader legal and constitutional battle over the limits of state authority and federal involvement in state legislative processes.
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