After fleeing their state and neglecting their jobs, a group of Texas Democratic lawmakers received high praise from former President Barack Obama, who said he was “grateful” for the example set by the Texas Dems in resisting the Republican push for redistricting, which Obama described as threatening to democracy.
For background, on August 14, 2025, former President Barack Obama met with a group of Texas House Democrats via a video call and praised them for their decision to leave their state in protest of the GOP’s proposed redistricting plans, which could cost the Democrats multiple House seats.
During the call, Obama reportedly encouraged the Democratic lawmakers to keep up their resistance to the GOP’s proposed redistricting, saying, “We can’t let a systematic assault on democracy just happen and stand by.” He added, “And so, because of your actions, because of your courage, what you’ve seen is California responding, other states looking at what they can do to offset this mid-decade gerrymandering.”
Moreover, the former president told the group, “I want all of you to be returning feeling invigorated and know that you have helped to lead what is going to be a long struggle.” He added that the conflict with the GOP was “not going to be resolved right away,” going on to say, “It’s going to require, ultimately, the American people understanding the stakes and realizing that we cannot take our freedoms and our democracy for granted.”
In addition, Obama praised the Democrats for helping “set the tone” for ongoing resistance to the Trump Administration, adding, “I’m grateful for it.” In response to the former president’s statements, Texas Rep. Gene Wu told ABC News that Obama’s advocacy was “proof that when Texas House Democrats stand up and fight back, we don’t stand alone — we have the support of Democrats at every level.”
Continuing, Rep. Wu said that Obama understood “that when Republicans attack voting rights in Texas, they’re attacking the foundation of our democracy everywhere.” He added, “The fact that we have to meet President Obama from an undisclosed location and via Zoom because of Republican threats and surveillance only proves how desperate Abbott and his extremist allies have become.”
Following the meeting, Obama took to X to praise the Democratic lawmakers further, writing, I am so proud of the @TexasHDC and the work that they’ve done.” He continued, “Their willingness to put themselves on the line to highlight the current assault on our democracy has set an example for what all of us have to do.” Along with many others, conservative commentator Matt Van Swol criticized the Texas Democrats in the comments section, saying, “Running away isn’t honorable, brave, or Democratic. It’s just cowardly. That’s all it is.”
"*" indicates required fields
Notably, Obama’s meeting with the Texas lawmakers occurred just a day before Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced that if the Dems return to Texas, they will not have a “peaceful weekend” and will be arrested and “compelled to this chamber.” Moreover, Speaker Burrows warned the Democrats, “DPS will remain active and civil arrest warrants will be reissued.”
Featured image credit: Shutterstock