(RNS) — Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a seminarian who has joined dozens of different Democratic state legislators in leaving his state to oppose mid-decade redistricting efforts, stated he views their protests as an act of religion, reflecting each his private beliefs and his religion in democracy.
Talarico, who’s a pupil at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Texas, mentioned the protest in a webinar Tuesday (Aug. 5) co-sponsored by the Heart for American Progress Motion Fund and Interfaith Alliance.
“Democracy is much more than only a structure; it’s a covenant,” he stated in talking in opposition to the redistricting plan, which Republicans are pursuing in hopes of serving to their social gathering retain management of the U.S. Home within the midterms.
“Donald Trump and (Texas Governor) Greg Abbott and my Republican colleagues again in Texas are trying to interrupt that sacred promise with each suppressed vote, with each gerrymandered district.”
Talarico spoke to the webinar, which was deliberate earlier than the protest started, from a nondescript convention room in an Illinois resort and didn’t share his actual location as a consequence of what he referred to as “safety issues.”
The state consultant advised Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, a senior fellow of the fund and a vice chairman of the alliance, that he was requested to guide his colleagues in an interfaith prayer earlier than boarding a airplane departing Texas to start their protests.
“We don’t simply have Christians in our caucus: We now have Jews and Muslims, we’ve got atheists and agnostics,” he stated. “However we joined collectively hand in hand and stated a prayer to the ability of affection and its skill to provide us power and peace and luxury as we embark on this journey on behalf of our constituents and the folks of Texas.”
Talarico, the grandson of a Baptist minister in South Texas, stated he hopes their prayers will assist the protesting lawmakers to resist reactions from Texas and nationwide. State Lawyer Common Ken Paxton issued a assertion Tuesday ordering the Democratic legislators to return to the Home by Friday, saying, “Should you don’t present as much as work, you get fired.”
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Requested how he would reply to majority Democrat states redistricting in an effort to counter the proposed shift in Texas, Talarico stated it’s a “difficult, strategic and ethical query about how blue states ought to reply to one of these dishonest.”
He famous that redistricting sometimes happens initially of every decade to align the inhabitants with new Census statistics for honest political illustration. Talarico stated it’s incorrect for both Republicans or Democrats to hunt to attract district strains that defend their political events, and he stated doing so can negatively have an effect on progress on schooling, housing and well being care.
“However what’s taking place in Texas proper now’s at a complete ’nother degree, as a result of they’re making an attempt to redraw these Texas maps in the course of the last decade as a result of Donald Trump has requested that they offer him 5 extra seats in Congress,” stated Talarico. “It’s a little bit paying homage to when the president referred to as the Georgia secretary of state and requested him to provide him 11,000 votes. Fortunately, Georgia Republicans stated, ‘No, sir.’ Texas Republicans stated, ‘How about Thursday?’”
Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, left, speaks with Texas state Rep. James Talarico throughout a webinar Aug. 5, 2025. (Video display screen seize)
Talarico stated the “deeply racist” redistricting plan is “breaking up minority-majority districts,” and would diminish the voting energy of individuals in communities of shade.
The state GOP legislators’ motion prompted their Democratic counterparts to take the bizarre motion of leaving the state to attempt to stop or delay the plans. He likewise stated different states’ Democratic leaders might have to take uncommon actions of their very own.
“My hope is that by threatening retaliation, by perhaps even, in some instances, transferring ahead with retaliation, with blue state energy grabs, that that may persuade my Texas Republican colleagues and perhaps even the president to stroll again from the brink,” he stated, “not as a result of they really feel it’s morally proper, however as a result of they’re nervous that they’re going to finish up shedding extra seats because of this mutually assured destruction. That’s my prayer.”
Requested about what acts of religion he takes whereas he’s out of state, Talarico stated he’s opening and shutting every day in prayer.
“We face private and monetary, political and authorized penalties, which we knew once we walked into this,” he stated, noting that he and his fellow legislators receives a commission $600 a month and have left behind obligations corresponding to day jobs, younger youngsters and growing older mother and father. “It was not a call we made frivolously.”
Talarico added that dozens of legislators are additionally considering attending a church’s worship service collectively on Sunday.
“I feel we’re nonetheless making an attempt to determine the place that shall be and what that may seem like,” Talarico stated, noting that it might be a logistical problem for any church that is likely to be chosen.
“We don’t wish to be a nuisance, however we do wish to make it possible for we’re engaged within the non secular side of the battle, as a result of it’s not only a political battle, it’s a non secular battle, and we have to protect ourselves and be prepared for the battle forward.”
Talarico has been outspoken in his criticism of Christian nationalism and of a just lately handed invoice allowing the posting of the Ten Commandments in Texas public faculties.
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