Texas Democrats Have Fled the State - Could A Redistricting Standoff Happen Here?

WTH is happening in the Texas Congress?! As we speak, 38 Democratic lawmakers in Texas have fled the state in a bold move to block a GOP redistricting plan that could shift the balance of power in Congress. By breaking quorum, they’ve stalled the legislative session—and triggered a fierce response from Governor Greg Abbott, who has issued civil arrest warrants and daily fines in an effort to force them back. Episode 191 breaks down the truth behind this Texas voting rights battle, driven by partisan gerrymandering and an aggressive push to redraw political maps. In this episode asks a question that hits close to home: Could this kind of redistricting fight ever happen in Canada?Bill compares the quorum break in the Texas legislature to Canada’s own electoral process, explaining why our system may be more resistant to partisan map-drawing—and what we should still be watching out for. From Texas Democrats fleeing to block a GOP map, to Greg Abbott’s arrest threats, this story is more than American politics—it’s a lesson in democracy, power, and what’s at stake when redistricting becomes a political weapon.Don’t forget to like, follow and subscribe across our channels! Thank you.This episode was recorded on: August 6, 2025Become a YouTube channel member or paid SubStack subscriber to hear Bill’s stories and life lessons from 50+ years as a broadcast journalist in his members-only series, MORAL OF THE STORY: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeUbzckOLocFzNeY1D72iCA/joinListen to The Bill Kelly Podcast everywhere: https://kite.link/the-bill-kelly-podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBillKellyPodcast/featuredBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisisbillkelly.bsky.socialFacebook: https://facebook.com/TheBillKellyPodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisbillkelly/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisbillkelly/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebillkellypodcastSubStack: billkelly.substack.com/*Comment ‘likes’ on behalf of this channel are an acknowledgment of your comment, not necessarily an endorsement of its contents. Thanks for joining these critical discussions in critical times!CHAPTERS00:00 The Texas Electoral Controversy04:51 Comparing Electoral Systems: Canada vs. USA10:26 Safeguards in Canadian PoliticsFURTHER READINGAugust 5, 2025: Abbott asks Texas Supreme Court to remove key Democrat from office in showdown over redistrictinghttps://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/texas-democrats-redistricting-house-quorum-08-05-25Ken Paxton and Greg Abbott’s dubious threat against Texas Democratshttps://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/texas-democrats-threats-redistricting-ken-paxton-greg-abbot-rcna223351Texas Democrats could be fined nearly $400,000 for fleeing the statehttps://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/06/texas-democrats-fines-fleeing-00494877Denying quorum has been a Texas political strategy since 1870https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/03/texas-quorum-breaks-history/HASHTAGS#News#Politics#BreakingNews#PoliticalNews#PoliticalCommentary#NewsToday#NewsUpdates#NewsCommentary#PoliticalCommentary#CanadaNews#TodayNews This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billkelly.substack.com/subscribe