Texas Democrats flee state to stop voting bill

Gov. Greg Abbott called a special legislative session on Friday to vote on new election laws, including banning ballot drop boxes, enacting new ID requirements, and stopping drive-thru voting. To prevent the vote by breaking quorum, more than 50 House members chartered two flights from Austin, Texas, to Washington, D.C.. Democrats also walked out of Texas legislative chambers in May to prevent an earlier vote on the election overhaul. Abbott responded by vetoing paychecks for 2,000 state capitol employees

What will the Democrats do in Washington? They plan to lobby the Biden administration to pass the For the People Act to prevent election reform efforts in Republican-led states. Vice President Kamala Harris praised the Texas Democrats, while President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak on voting legislation in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Abbott can keep calling 30-day special sessions to force a vote.

Dig deeper: Listen to Mary Reichard’s report on The World and Everything In It on partisan voting battles.