Texas Democrats Hold The Line In America’s Cold Civil War
Gene Wu, Beto, and allies push back against Republican election-rigging.
Click here to donate and support Texas Democrats’ quorum break.
In Leeja Miller’s (my favorite YouTuber) latest video, she discusses the Texas Redistricting fight, state vs. federal power, and the historical parallels between now and the pre-Civil War tensions. The pre-Civil War tensions could also be described as a Cold Civil War, which we were only discussing yesterday.
Miller concluded her video by highlighting that the greatest threats stem from political apathy and that once people lose faith in change, democracy begins to erode. She urged us to focus on local community engagement as a source of hope and control.
Political apathy. You know, that’s how Texas got here in the first place.
How else do you explain this?
But, you know what? It’s okay. A lot of people (hopefully) are seeing the repercussions of not voting in a state like Texas. More importantly, many people are finally realizing that Texas Democrats totally kick ass. Of course, I’ve been telling them all along.
2026 is going to be bad for Republicans. Here are a few signals we’re getting now:
This week, a Democratic candidate in Rhode Island overperformed by 45 points.
In June, a Democratic candidate in Oklahoma overperformed by 50 points.
That’s a huge swing. I mean HUGE!
So, maybe we’re in a Cold Civil War, and maybe it’s stressing us all out because the bad guys are trying to take away all of our rights.
But the good guys are fighting back with everything they have.
Today, Representative Gene Wu filed his formal response to Abbott’s emergency petition to remove him from office. You can read that full document here.
Basically, Wu’s lawyers argue the Texas Supreme Court shouldn’t, and legally can’t, do what Abbott is asking. They call it unprecedented, unconstitutional, factually unsupported, and a dangerous separation-of-powers violation.
Then Beto posted this on his social media:
What did he sue Paxton for? 🤷🏻♀️
Meanwhile, Paxton has filed a suit to remove 13 House Democrats, including:
Gene Wu (D-HD137)
Ron Reynolds (D-HD27)
Vikki Goodwin (D-HD47)
Gina Hinojosa (D-HD49)
James Talarico (D-HD50)
Lulu Flores (D-HD51)
Mihaela Plesa (D-HD70)
Suleman Lalani (D-HD76)
Chris Turner (D-HD101)
Ana-Maria Ramos (D-HD102)
Jessica Gonzalez (D-HD104)
John Bucy (D-HD136)
Christina Morales (D-HD145)
Why these 13? 🤷🏻♀️
Today, several Texas House Democrats joined Governor Gavin Newsom and other California Democrats to discuss California’s plans. They finally have some. It’s long, cliffnotes below.
It’s only temporary changes to California’s congressional map to pick up five Democratic seats and nullify Texas’s gain. They’ll put the new map on a special statewide ballot in November for voter approval. This will maintain California’s independent commission long-term, but respond now to an “emergency.”
Of course, now there are a slew of other states, red and blue, jumping into the gerrymandering game. And Texas House Republicans Brian Harrison (R-HD10) and Nate Schatzline (R-HD93) have both appeared on CNN this week, explaining that Texas must take action because other blue states have done so. It seems that neither has Texas’ best interest at heart.
As I was writing this, Paxton secured a restraining order against Beto and Powered by People. Here was Beto’s response:
Is this shit stressing you out? It’s stressing me out. Imagine how much it’s stressing out the House Democrats, who’ve had to travel to Chicago and other places to save America. They’re literally saving all of us right now.
But they’re getting bomb threats, death threats, they’ve been doxxed, and DPS has shown up at their family members’ homes.
Brian Krassenstein said on Twitter that he would pay the fine for any Texas Democrats, and in his responses, Republicans are telling him that he’s going to prison for aiding and abetting treason.
Republicans are stupid and don’t understand anything.
Republicans are stupid.
We’re not in a very good place as a country right now. I don’t know how to sugarcoat that. The only thing standing between us and complete tyranny is Texas House Democrats.
Some conversations have gone quieter since the bomb scare.
Not everyone, but enough that I notice. Rumors are everywhere right now, and on last night’s call, which included a few quorum breakers, members of Congress, and quite a folks from the TDP, the pieces only came together after listening closely. No one’s saying it outright, but the message between the lines is clear. Don’t take the focus off Republicans.
It’s an understandable instinct. Texas Democrats are some of the most progressive, most anti-fascist Democrats in the country. The idea that anyone could distract them from the real enemy feels far-fetched until you remember that politics today leaves almost no room for nuance. Millions of Texans skip state elections because of their feelings about Chuck Schumer or Nancy Pelosi.
I’ve been guilty of that same lack of nuance myself, blaming “Senate Democrats” for failing to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, even though the real blockage came from Sinema and Manchin siding with Republicans. The broad brush often feels easier to wield than the fine one.
That doesn’t make the silences any less painful.
When you’re in a Cold Civil War, nobody hands you a guide to the quiet power plays and fault lines running under every conversation.
A few readers have let me know that some social media conversations, including from elected officials I’ve previously collaborated with, have been pointing people toward a handful of Gen Z influencers as the go-to sources for Texas House updates. I assume that’s because they create video content for Instagram and TikTok, platforms I don’t use for political coverage, and not because I’m *gasp* older than 25. I appreciate everyone who’s reached out, and I’m grateful for your concern.
Now what?
La Révolution?
One thing that would really help is if you signed up to become a precinct chair.
A precinct is the smallest unit of the Democratic Party. Each county has dozens or even hundreds of precincts, depending on the size of the county. All the precincts are under the direction of your county party, and the county parties are under the state party.
Ultimately, transforming Texas into a blue state requires a cultural shift towards greater political participation. This means filling precinct chair vacancies and fostering an environment where volunteering for political campaigns is valued and encouraged.
Contact your local party if you want to become a precinct chair.
And don’t forget Powered by People.
Beto has done more for Texas than almost anyone, and he always shows up. These fuckers are trying to shut him down because he’s doing what he’s always done. Show up for the people.
What are we not doing?
As I have listened to these press conferences and the call I was on last night, the constant was, “We need to keep pressure on Republicans.”
And I’m seeing this. I see the new 5 Calls App in Texas. And I see the protests in front of Abbott’s mansion. And I see the protests at Congressional Republican events.
What more can we be doing? What’s the next lever we haven’t pulled yet?
Because Republicans want to take away your representation in Congress, to take away your healthcare, and social security. At the same time, raising prices at the grocery store so that billionaires can have a few extra gallons of jet fuel.
They want to jack up your property taxes by cutting school funding so they can make sure that the wealthy can live in Texas for free.
They want children to go hungry while they dine on donor-funded $500 plates.
That’s who they are.
This video is making the rounds on social media. It’s what our country looks like now, but the end of the video pays homage to the French Revolution. Who knows if it’s where it all ends?
If only MAGA would wake up and stop licking their boots. Maybe one day, right?
And Texas?
Listen to Representative John Bucy (D-HD136) say in an MSNBC interview today, “Abbott won’t be governor much longer.”
And I believe that, with everything I have in me. Too many people are waking up to realize that Republicans have spent the last 30 years driving this state into the ground. Crumbling infrastructure, underfunded schools, disappearing healthcare, it all points to bad Republican governance.
But who will replace Abbott? Joaquin Castro? James Talarico? Someone else?
The big campaign announcements we’ve been waiting on, Castro, Talarico, and Beto, probably won’t come until this entire quorum situation is over… whenever that may be.
Abbott and his crew believe this is the moment to break Texas, silence their critics, and secure their power for a generation. They’re wrong.
The quorum breakers are still holding the line. California just stepped into the fight. Voters are waking up.
The question isn’t whether Republicans will keep trying to strip away our rights. We already know they will. The question is whether we’re willing to match their relentlessness with our own. That means showing up, organizing, filling every vacant precinct chair seat, flooding their offices with calls, and making damn sure every voter we know understands precisely what’s at stake.
This is our Cold Civil War, and history doesn’t remember the people who sat it out.
August 23: Last day of special session
November 4: Constitutional/TX18/SD09 Election
Click here to find out what Legislative districts you’re in.
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I have watched entire videos of all but one or maybe two of the entire out of state town halls, now rallies, that Beto has done. I was in person at one and expect to be in person at others. It is truly amazing to me how many people are really upset with this administration and are not going quietly into the night. They are REALLY LOUD and appreciative. Beto listens and gives them answers of what to do, and he gives them hope. I see the content creators and welcome them they can even be likeable, but they are not the only voices. There is something about being present but we must also study history.
You are one of our best independent journalists! I have learned so much from you!