Texas Is The Frontline Of Democracy

The maps are rigged, the FBI is watching, and we need 72 more Democrats on the ballot by December.

Click here to donate and support Texas Democrats’ quorum break.

This morning, the Texas Senate held another redistricting hearing on the same maps proposed by the Texas House. Some of the Democratic Senators are back in town, notably Senators Miles and West, who didn’t shy away from calling their colleagues the racist filth that they were. (Senator Miles was much more direct about it.)

Senator Phil King, who is an unapologetic racist and was present at the July 2020 race riot in Weatherford, watching from a restaurant balcony in the square, as if Black people getting assaulted by a mob of white supremacists was a spectator sport, said during the hearing that he wanted to make sure the maps passed the Senate, in case the House gets a quorum.

As I was watching this hearing this morning, I was also reading about the conditions of a “Cold Civil War.” Some of you won’t even flinch and say, “Of course we’re in a Cold Civil War.” Others may say, “That’s a stretch too far.” But I want to be a responsible writer, and before I say those words, which are so loaded with huge context and emotion, I want to make sure that it’s the proper term for this situation. And I was reading about that this morning, and simultaneously listening to the Senate hearing, and this woman’s testimony perked up my ears.

It’s only two minutes long and very much worth watching.

Remember last week, when I showed you a few videos of young people saying similar things and mentioned how many elderly folks had testified about revolution? The woman ended her testimony with, “Please do not force the armed people into a revolution because I fear this is where we are headed, if we continue on the same path.”

FBI gets involved in hunting down Democrats who broke quorum.

And then, as if we needed another reminder that we’re not in a normal political era, John Cornyn announced that the FBI is now involved in trying to hunt down the Texas House Democrats who broke quorum.

Cornyn claimed he asked FBI Director Kash Patel to help track the lawmakers down. Supposedly, agents from the San Antonio and Austin offices have been assigned to… something? No one will say what exactly they’re doing. The FBI won’t comment. Cornyn’s office isn’t offering details. But Cornyn did thank both Trump and Patel for supporting his request to sic federal law enforcement on a bunch of state legislators who are exercising one of the few tools left to protest authoritarian gerrymandering.

At the same time, Attorney General Ken Paxton jumped into the mix and opened an investigation into Powered by People, Beto’s group that helped fund the Democrats’ trip. Apparently, the new normal is that if you oppose fascism in Texas, they’ll accuse you of bribery and try to arrest you for it.

The House has already issued warrants for the missing members. The Texas Department of Public Safety has been instructed to assist with arrests, but it lacks the authority to cross state lines. That’s where the FBI threat comes in. For the first time, there’s talk that federal agents might be used to go after elected officials for walking out on a rigged vote. And while Illinois Governor JB Pritzker made clear that his state won’t play along, calling the FBI’s presence “unwelcome,” the implication is chilling.

This isn’t just about maps. It’s about criminalizing political dissent. It’s about using the machinery of law enforcement to punish Democrats for daring to resist minority rule.

And if you’re still on the fence about whether we’re in a Cold Civil War? Well, ask yourself what side would cheer this on.

What now?

We organize. We fight like hell. And we win. Republicans have built their power on fear, suppression, and gerrymandering, but they’re not invincible. Not even close. We’re going to decimate them in 2026. We have a full slate of Democratic congressional candidates ready to take the fight to MAGA extremism in every corner of Texas. But the truth is, it won’t matter if we don’t start filling out the rest of the ticket. We need people, bold, unapologetic people, to step up and run for the Texas House and Senate. That’s where so much of this authoritarian nonsense starts. And that’s where we can stop it.

Below is a list of legislative districts where we don’t yet have Democratic candidates. Most of these can be flipped with the right campaign and a little grassroots fire. If you live in one of these districts, or if you know someone who does, this is your moment. I’ll be following up soon with filing deadlines, campaign guides, and resources to help you launch. But for now, here’s where we need Democrats most:

HD = House District

• HD02

• HD04

• HD05

• HD06

• HD07

• HD09

• HD10

• HD11

• HD12

• HD13

• HD14

• HD15

• HD16

• HD17

• HD18

• HD19

• HD20

• HD21

• HD23

• HD24

• HD25

• HD26

• HD27

• HD28

• HD29

• HD30

• HD32

• HD33

• HD34

• HD37

• HD43

• HD52

• HD53

• HD54

• HD55

• HD56

• HD57

• HD58

• HD60

• HD61

• HD62

• HD63

• HD64

• HD65

• HD67

• HD68

• HD69

• HD71

• HD72

• HD80

• HD81

• HD82

• HD83

• HD84

• HD85

• HD86

• HD87

• HD88

• HD89

• HD91

• HD93

• HD94

• HD96

• HD97

• HD98

• HD99

• HD106

• HD122

• HD128

• HD129

• HD130

• HD150

We have four months until the filing deadline for these races, yet we have 72 House races that do not yet have a Democratic opponent. Do our Congressional races have opponents? Yep, every single one (just about), at least 20 Democrats in the TX18 race. But Congress is not the frontlines of democracy. Texas is. I’ve said it a million times. Look at what’s happening here now.

And we want to have this magical slate of candidates next year at the top of the ticket? Talarico? Castro? Crockett? Maybe Beto? We need down-ballot candidates, too. And it doesn’t matter if Congress is blue, they’re never going to save us down here in Texas. The only way that’s going to happen is to flip the Texas House.

The only way we’re going to flip the Texas House is by running candidates in a year where Democrats are overperforming by 50 points.

There’s no money in it? Let’s flip it and make it accessible to all working people.

County Chairs? Where are you at? You should have spent the last year recruiting. Your people have four months left. Maybe that’s still plenty of time. But tick-tock, the world is on fire.

And if you’ve been thinking about running for office and you REALLY want to make changes in your community, the Legislature is the way to go.

This is it, y’all.

The maps are rigged, the feds are being weaponized, and the people in power are doing everything they can to make sure our voices don’t count. But here’s the secret they don’t want you to know is that if we show up, if we run, if we build this bench from the ground up, we win anyway.

We don’t have time to wait for perfect conditions. We don’t have time to wait for saviors. The cavalry isn’t coming. We are the cavalry.

So, whether you’re pissed off, heartbroken, terrified, or all three, channel it. Run for office. Help someone else run. Organize in your county. Volunteer. Knock on doors. Donate. Do something that scares you a little. That’s where the power is.

Texas isn’t lost. It’s just waiting for us to take it back.

And if we can stare down a cold civil war and still choose to fight for democracy anyway? That’s how we win.

Let’s go.

• August 23: Last day of special session

• November 4: Constitutional/TX18/SD09 Election

• Who Will Be On The 2026 State Ballot?

• Who Will Be On The 2026 Federal Ballot?

• Click here to find out what Legislative districts you’re in.

LoneStarLeft is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Follow me on Facebook, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Instagram.