NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday joined other Democratic governors in exploring the possibility of redrawing legislative lines in their states as a response to the redistricting of U.S. House maps sought by Texas after a push from President Donald Trump.
“What Texas and Republican states are doing at the direction of Donald Trump, I say, is nothing short of a legal insurrection against our capital … If Republicans are willing to rewrite these rules to give themselves an advantage, then they're leaving us no choice, we must do the same,” Hochul said at a press conference in Albany.
The governor vowed to explore “every option to redraw our State congressional lines as soon as possible” with the help of New York leaders.
The state is considering amendments that would allow for a mid-decade, non-census year redistricting, despite the state constitution barring another map this decade. That change could not happen until 2027 at the earliest, and would also require voter approval. Legislators also face the challenge of state laws mandating an independent redistricting commission.
Hochul was joined at Monday's meeting by six Texas lawmakers that fled the state in an attempt to block the adoption of the new maps by running out the clock on a 30-day special legislative session called by Gov. Greg Abbott. Dozens left Texas to break quorum, fleeing to states like New York and Illinois.
Texas House Democratic Caucus First Vice Chair Mihaela Plesa attended Hochul’s meeting, and invoked the recent devastation caused by flooding in both Texas and New York during her comments, where she said the focus of her state government should be.
“Today on the House floor, House Republicans did not want to put flood relief, disaster relief—they didn't want to do anything for the people of Texas,” Plesa said. “They're bending the knee to President Donald Trump.”
Abbott said Monday that he would begin trying to remove Democratic lawmakers from office if they do not return to the state immediately. In response, the Democratic Caucus issued a four-word statement: “Come and take it.” Texas Rep. Jolanda Jones, currently in New York, said that the governor is putting up “smoke and mirrors” about legal authority he doesn’t have.
Legislative walkouts often only delay passage of a bill, including in 2021 when many of the same Texas House Democrats left the state for 38 days to protest new voting restrictions. Once they returned, Republicans still passed that measure.
The Republican hope behind the redistricting in Texas is that it would achieve Trump’s goal of adding five more GOP-leaning congressional seats in the 2026 midterm elections, which do not have him on the ballot and historically have a much lower voter turnout than a presidential election. Republicans currently hold 25 of Texas’ 38 seats.
“I have newsflash for Republicans in Texas. This is no longer the Wild West,” Hochul said. “We're not going to tolerate our democracy being stolen in a modern-day stagecoach heist by a bunch of law-breaking cowboys. Americans don't want a system that's stacked against them. They believe in fairness—it's fundamental.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.