>> It's a Texas size showdown that's capturing the attention of the nation.

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers from Texas fled the state for Illinois, New York and Massachusetts to block an effort by Republicans redraw congressional districts.

The Trump backed plan would increase the number of Republican leaning congressional seats by 5 Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

A Republican has since called for the lawmakers to be arrested.

But Democrats say they're prepared to stay as long as it takes.

Joining us now to discuss the effort to block a quorum are 2 of those members.

Texas State Representative Vicky Goodwin who represents parts of Austin and Texas State representative Renaldo Lopez who represents large parts of San Antonio's west and northwest sides.

Thank you both for being with us.

We appreciate your time.

I'd like to ask you both.

You know, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows did authorize civil arrest warrants for you and your colleagues who left the state.

So today, the state's public safety department is actively working to compel your attendance.

Representative Goodwin, are you concerned Texas law enforcement might come to Illinois and try to arrest I don't think that they're authorized to arrest us here in Illinois.

So I'm not too concerned about that.

representative love it like with the with the representative.

I mean, their jurisdiction is within state of Texas and, >> you know, unfortunate we've had we've been in this position before back in 2000 and 21, the same type of threats were made.

They're not things that could be made to come to fruition.

That can't be shape becoming restless.

you can the difference now is the mood is a little different.

The reach of what their we're trying to get, what they're trying to get down in Texas will ultimately affect many other states.

And I think we're trying to do here is make sure that all of the state's understand the dilemma and the dangers.

>> You some of the other threats coming from Governor Greg Abbott saying he'll remove lawmakers who left this the state from their seats.

Attorney General Ken Paxton saying today he'll pursue court rulings of, you know, that your seats are vacant.

If you're not back by Friday when they're planning to hold another attempt at session.

Representative Goodwin, what's your response to those sorts of moves?

I think that's a lot of bluster.

The voters elected us to be in office and the I don't believe that.

>> The attorney general is basing his opinion on any fact.

It's it's a.

>> Our rules say that it would take two-thirds of the legislature to kick us out and that would require some Democrats.

And we're not going to do that.

>> And do you have any concern that you might be able to find a sort of a friendly judge to declare attorney general find friendly judge to declare the seats vacant or is is that not within his purview, you know, in the world that we live in today?

I wouldn't say anything's off the table at because we have found that some judges to side.

And make interesting decisions.

But we're we're here to make sure that the world knows that what is happening.

Trump ordered Abbott to job 5 additional Republican congressional districts.

That's not the way democracy works.

And we are standing up for the people of Texas.

You're facing $500 daily fines for missing session.

Representative Lopez, what kind financial support have have you and your colleagues scene to help cover those costs?

Have have folks been stepping up?

>> Well, folks have been stepping up and offering to helping with a camper.

Want to make sure that whatever help we do get.

>> Is budget and that it is within the scope of what we can do.

Can the contributions we can get.

But I think what's even more important it.

We're getting so much support from a community not only within Texas but around the country coming us.

Thank you for doing what you're doing.

Thank you for making sure everybody understands that while it is being aimed at Texans, other states are next.

And if we don't take a stand now, this will continue to expand across this whole country.

That's part of the problem.

We know what happened in 2020 at that time President Trump called Georgia and I mean, 11,000 or so additional votes, just go get him.

he's trying to do the same thing here.

difference there is that he had the leaders in Georgia that said no.

He didn't like it, but they said no in Texas is completely different.

We've got someone in leadership that is willing to bend a knee, do whatever they needed in the state.

It's good gracious.

And that's the big difference.

Is because it's a different democratic process because it's the right thing to do.

It's because people want to be in the good graces of the federal leadership.

>> Well, you know, in addition to sort of the financial costs that, you know, the threats that you're facing, I would imagine there's, you know, kind of an impact on your family's on on your staff and the folks that are back in Texas is a fair to say.

>> Sure, it's it's probably harder for some of the other members.

My kids are ground and my husband is very supportive of what we're doing here and family as well.

But yeah, it is hard for staff.

I've heard that even DPS officers have gone into some of the members offices in the Capitol and been a little bit intimidating to our staffs, which is unfortunate to hear.

>> You to some GOP lawmakers have said this after reflects the growing number of Latinos in Texas who are voting Republican Representative Lopez.

Do you think that's a fair characterization of what's going on here?

No, it's not a fair characterization of what's going on.

What's happening is that there.

>> Crafting it has a you know, we want to be able to put it.

But Texans in a position to be able to like or where they want.

They're in the position to elect where they want.

Now, what they're doing is gerrymandering.

The patients major man during the districts.

Where the elected officials are selecting who can work for him and it shouldn't be that we should be the other way around.

>> Well, yesterday, one of your colleagues, a state representative Brian Harrison, spoke to CNN and he said Republican lawmakers are well within their rights to redraw the maps.

Here's a little bit of that interview.

>> The point is what we're talking about.

The state of Texas is something that is constitutional.

It's legal.

The Supreme Court has said we can do things like this and my main criticism of the the liberal Democrat governors in California, New York, Illinois, and other places isn't so much what the weighing in on the merits of their maps.

It's the rake hypocrisy and the fake outrage.

These Democrats, my Democrat, colleagues that fled the state to go hide behind Governor Pritzker.

They're not mad that states are engaging in redistricting to maximize partisan political advantage.

But they're mad about, but they won't say it.

They're mad that a Republican state is stepping up and doing.

That's the real problem.

That's the hypocrisy that I'm trying to point out here.

>> Representative Goodwin, you know about that.

Some folks have called on democratically controlled states like California, like Illinois, to may be redraw their maps to pick up seats in would fighting fire with fire.

Be the best strategy there?

You know, the interesting thing is that they have different roles and they have tried to be fair in California and New York.

>> California has an independent redistricting commission so they would have to work around that.

So they're law says that the commission.

Re districts right after the census is done.

But it doesn't say that they can't come back and have the legislature redraw the map.

So that's an option.

They don't want to do that.

We want to have fair elections.

We want to have fairness in our democracy.

But the thing is if we continue to see states like Texas being unfair, then they're going to match that.

Yeah, you know about that.

Representative Lopez, certainly the the map and Texas already favors Republicans would do so even more if this goes through.

>> course, states like Illinois have maps drawn in a way that you know that to favor Democrats significantly.

Do you think, you know, more independent redistricting process around the country could be a better way to go.

>> And if it is a better way to go and we can find a better way to go.

That's certainly the route we want to take.

But we do that every 10 years put this issue initiative is trying to do is do it in middle of a cycle.

And it simply is because at this point, the president's ratings are so low because of his poor policies meeting recognizes that a midterm.

You're gonna take a blood bath.

Figuratively.

They're gonna take a blood bath in count, he will lose the House of Representatives, which means he will have a tremendous amount challenge around House of Representatives challenging holding them accountable for many of things that he's doing.

He wants to avoid that.

And the only way you can avoid that, you should maintain that control, which is going to be incredibly difficult for him to do.

>> Well, mean, do you think that's necessarily what's driving it?

You know, certainly you see the, you know, the trend midterm that, you know, the party that controls the White House may have some losses in Congress.

I mean, that that could well be something that, you know, the president already understands.

>> Well, there's no question that he understands that net.

The general assumption, but because of the policy, the political climate around the policies that this president moving forward.

The numbers, the against numbers, the unfavorable numbers are just incredibly outnumbering for him and he recognizes got major problem.

So the only way just add a couple, it should be able change the dynamics around that.

He's trying to do it in a midterm redistricting at an issue which is not it's certainly not unheard of, but not the right way that we need to approach We do need approach in a better way.

We do need to have independent committees to be able to draw these matchup.

Doing it in midterm with a directive from the president to give me 5 more states is not the way to do Representative, you want to add something and it should be consistent throughout the U.S. or some states are going to do independent redistricting commissions.

That should be all states.

You know, there should be.

>> Equality and fairness separation of powers.

All the things that we believe in.

And I just feel like this president is turning things upside down.

You know, the fact that he said that he's entitled to 5 additional Republican congressional districts should say it all that nobody's entitled like.

Governor Pritzker said I guess it was can Martin who said that we as candidates have turned the vote and that's the other thing.

Candidates if they don't know what the districts are, how can they prepare to run for office?

I know there are already people lining up to run and congressional seats and they don't know what the boundaries are going to be.

Well, you know, even if you manage to block this, this current effort in the special session in, are you concerned the governor could simply?

>> Colin, other want to bring it up in a regular legislative session.

He certainly could call another special session.

And I think we expect that.

But >> my hope is that there is enough public pressure that enough people become aware of what's going on, that they pushback in such a way that the governor realizes that perhaps even his reelection in 2026, is in jeopardy.

>> You know, some critics have said that, you know, the absence of lawmakers that, you know, the lack of a quorum is blocking things like aid for residents, you know, affected by the end of the tragic deadly floods and storms recently.

Representative Lopez, what's your response we got the governor has every story right now has the budget to do it.

>> To be able to issue the orders, to go help those folks that are in desperate need.

He can do that today.

He could have done it last month.

He's chosen not to do that.

He's chosen to use the sham of that call to build that push in his political agenda.

And that is unfortunate.

But it's a case inspections.

Unfortunately.

>> And we also have the Texas Division of Emergency Management that is kind of like FEMA and they're going in and they're helping with the recovery efforts.

What we've got about 30 seconds left.

But I'd like to ask you, should this new map ultimately be approved?

>> What do you think the next steps might foresee legal action?

I think they're probably will.

Yes, I'm sure they would be legal action against and how long are you prepared to stay in Illinois?

you know yet?

All right.

Well, a lot of people will have their eyes on that.

That's all