“What’s good for the goose is good for the gander”
As expected, the Texas GOP Republican gerrymandered remap passed 88-51 along party lines. But Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-7th) said, “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” and expressed hope that California’s remap movement will succeed and inspire other Democratic states to follow.
In an interview with the Chicago Crusader, Davis said he anticipated the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature would approve the measure. “I hope that California will be successful in passing their remap bill, which would create five additional Democratic congressional seats,” he said.
The influence of the Texas GOP is evident in the political landscape, particularly as states navigate their own redistricting efforts.
With Republicans holding a slim 219-212 House majority, with four vacancies, Texas’ victory has ignited what many are calling a partisan remap war across the nation.
The conflict began when former President Donald Trump asked Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to draw a map that would give Republicans five more congressional seats. In response, 52 Democratic legislators left Texas for 15 days to prevent a quorum. They returned last Monday facing possible arrests and $500-a-day fines.
Although Democrats failed to block the plan, Davis stressed that his party must fight back. “There is no way that Democrats should take this sitting down, laying down, or letting it go without serious reaction and serious challenge,” he said. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander when it comes to making these kinds of decisions. We wish we didn’t have to do it, but I don’t think we have any other choice.”
During debate in the Texas Legislature’s special session, Democrats repeatedly argued that the Republican map diminishes the voting power of people of color — a claim Republicans rejected.
Texas Democratic Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins and her colleagues said the map dismantles Democratic strongholds in Austin, Dallas and Houston, while shifting several South Texas districts toward Republican control. The plan also pits some Democratic incumbents against each other by redrawing boundaries to force members into the same districts, while diluting minority voting strength through a tactic known as “cracking and packing.”
According to NPR, “cracking” and “packing” are strategies used in redistricting to either split minority voters across districts or crowd them into a single district, minimizing their influence elsewhere. While the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that states may draw maps for partisan advantage, racial gerrymandering remains prohibited under the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Democrats argue that the new Texas map violates Section 2 of the Act. “These illegal maps are based on already racist and unconstitutional maps that were litigated just barely a month ago,” said Rep. Gene Wu (D-TX), chair of the House Democratic Caucus. “This is probably, from the experts that we’ve talked to, the worst racial discrimination in redistricting since the Jim Crow era.”
When the Democratic delegation returned from Illinois and other states after their 15-day walkout, Republicans escalated tensions by detaining Rep. Nicole Collier. She was refused permission to return home unless she signed a document agreeing to be escorted by police. Collier and eight other Democrats refused and spent the night in the Capitol.
The National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women (NOBEL Women) stood firmly behind Collier and welcomed her safe release.
“While we are relieved by this outcome, we remain deeply concerned about the tactics being employed that seek to undermine the voices of women and minorities in state government,” said Georgia State Sen. Tonya Anderson, president of NOBEL Women.
“As Black women legislators, we recognize these absurd and dangerous political actions for what they are: calculated attempts to silence our voices, weaken minority representation, and undermine the role of women in shaping state policies, laws, and funding. This is not just about one lawmaker — it is about a system that seeks to marginalize communities by stripping away the power of their elected representatives.”
NOBEL Women called on civil rights groups, community organizations and citizens across the country to stay vigilant and speak out against such abuses of power. “Black women have always carried the weight of defending democracy in America, and we will not allow intimidation or political games to erase our voices, our votes, or our vision for justice,” the group stated.
Collier’s Capitol Stand
Rep. Nicole Collier (D-Fort Worth) has emerged as the face of resistance in the Texas redistricting battle. After Republicans passed a partisan remap, Collier refused to leave the state Capitol when ordered to sign a “permission slip” that would place her under police escort.
Instead, she staged an overnight sit-in, livestreaming from the House floor as plainclothes officers monitored Democratic colleagues. On August 19, she filed a habeas corpus petition challenging the Legislature’s authority to restrict the movement of elected officials.
Tensions escalated further on August 20, when the Capitol was temporarily evacuated following a credible shooting threat tied to the standoff. Collier, however, has vowed to continue her protest.
Her defiance has become a rallying point for Democrats, civil rights advocates, and Black women legislators nationwide. Supporters say Collier’s stand underscores the stakes of the remap fight: not just partisan power, but the preservation of voting rights and democratic representation.