>>> NOW TO TEXAS WHERE A NEW REDISTRICTING PLAN BACKED BY REPUBLICANS IS CAUSING A POLITICAL STANDOFF.

CRITICS ACCUSED THEM OF A PARTISAN POWER GRAB AS THEY LOOK TO GERRYMANDER MORE SAFE SEATS OUT OF THE NEXT ELECTION.

SO, DEMOCRATS, MANY OF WHOM LEFT THE STATE IN AN ATTEMPT TO STALL THIS PROPOSAL, STATE REPRESENTATIVE JAMES JOINS MICHEL MARTIN TO EXPLAIN WHY.

>> THANKS, CHRISTIANE .

REPRESENTATIVE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> SO, YOU HAVE GOT THE TEXAS FLAG BEHIND YOU, BUT YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY IN TEXAS, DO YOU MIND TELLING US WHERE YOU ARE QUESTION >> WE ARE IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, WE ARE TRYING TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE OF SECURITY CONCERNS, AS I'M SURE YOU HAVE REPORTED.

PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS THREATENED TO SEND THE FBI TO COME FIND US.

GOVERNOR ADDED HAS THREATENED TO REMOVE US FROM OUR DULY ELECTED POSITIONS IN LEGISLATURE, AND KEN PAXTON, OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL IN TEXAS, SENT OUT A TWEET TO HIS THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS, ASKING THEM TO "HUNT US DOWN."

AND SO, BECAUSE OF ALL OF THAT, WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF THREATS, INCLUDING MULTIPLE BOMB THREATS.

I HEARD THAT THERE WERE BOMB THREATS AT THE PLACE THAT YOU WERE STAYING.

SO, WHEN DID THE IDEA OF BREAKING QUORUM, OF LEAVING THE STATE IN ORDER TO DENY THE REPUBLICANS OF QUORUM FIRST EMERGED, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

>> WELL, IT WAS WHEN WE FIRST STARTED SEEING REPORTING THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS GOING TO ASK TEXAS REPUBLICANS TO REDRAW OUR POLITICAL MAPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DECADE.

TYPICALLY, THIS IS DONE AT THE BEGINNING OF A DECADE AFTER A NEW CENSUS, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN TEXAS IN 2021.

AND ONCE WE HEARD THAT THEY MAY TRY TO RIG THESE MAPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME, SO THAT THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T HAVE TO FACE ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE MIDTERMS, WE KNEW WE MAY HAVE TO TAKE SOME DRAMATIC ACTIONS TO PROTECT THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, NOT JUST IN TEXAS, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND SO, WE ARE NOT FIGHTING FOR JUST DEMOCRATS, WE ARE FIGHTING FOR INDEPENDENT 'S AND REPUBLICANS AS WELL.

THIS IS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE PEOPLE, ALL OF US, CAN CHANGE OUR GOVERNMENT FROM THE BOTTOM UP.

WHETHER WE CAN HOLD POWERFUL PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE MOST POWERFUL MEN IN THE COUNTRY, ACCOUNTABLE.

>> THIS IS AN EXACTLY EASY, YOU KNOW QUESTION MARK YOU HAVE GOT TO LEAVE WHATEVER JOB YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE IS NOT FULL-TIME, SO YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO, YOU HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS.

IT IS NOT EASY ON PEOPLE'S LIVES.

SO, I JUST WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU HAD IN THE CAUCUS ABOUT , YOU KNOW, WHETHER THIS WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO OR NOT?

>> YEAH, IT WAS CERTAINLY NOT A DECISION WE MADE LIGHTLY.

AS YOU MENTIONED, MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE LEAVING BEHIND YOUNG CHILDREN, SOME OF THEM ARE LEAVING BEHIND AGING PARENTS, WE ARE ALL LEAVING BEHIND OUR DAY JOBS, WHICH IS HOW WE MAKE ENDS MEET AND PAY OUR BILLS, BUT WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A LOT BIGGER THAN US.

IT IS A LOT BIGGER THAN ANY ONE POLITICIAN OR ANY POLITICAL PARTY.

PEOPLE CAN ELECT REPRESENTATIVES OF THEIR CHOICE, WHICH IS THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL PART OF THIS REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.

AND SO, WE FELT LIKE WE HAD TO TAKE A STAND, THANKFULLY, WE OVER THE PAST WEEK, I THINK, I REALLY FOCUSED THE COUNTRY'S ATTENTION ON THIS POWER GRAB IN TEXAS.

I KNOW THAT THE GOOGLE SEARCHES FOR GERRYMANDERING AND REDISTRICTING ARE THROUGH THE ROOF, WHICH YOU KNOW, AS A FORMER TEACHER, THAT MAKES MY HEART HAPPY THAT PEOPLE ARE USING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT OUR BROKEN POLITICAL SYSTEM, AND HOPEFULLY IT SPARKS A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO FIX THIS DEMOCRACY GOING FORWARD, SO THAT IT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY.

>> THE REPUBLICANS CONTROLLED THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, THEY CONTROL ALL THE TOP STATE OFFICES, YOU KNOW, SENATORS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE GOVERNOR, ET CETERA, AND BOTH HOUSES OF THE LEGISLATURE, OKAY?

BUT IN 2021, DEMOCRATS DID THE SAME THING TO DENY REPUBLICANS A QUORUM , THAT WAS NOT PERCEIVED AS A SUCCESS.

DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT?

I MEAN, THE BILL THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO STOP PAST ANYWAY.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT?

>> YEAH, I WOULDN'T DISAGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT, THAT ANALYSIS.

WHEN WE BROKE QUORUM IN 2021, IT WAS OVER A VOTER SUPPRESSION BILL.

AND I SHOULD SAY THIS QUORUM THEY AND THAT WERE ON BREAK, THOSE ARE THE ONLY QUORUM BREAKS IN 20 YEARS IN TEXAS, SO THIS IS NOT A COMMON OCCURRENCE.

AS OF THE TREMENDOUS COST, FINANCIAL, PERSONAL, POLITICAL, LEGAL, IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE UNDERGONE WITHOUT A LOT OF THOUGHT, AND WITHOUT A LOT OF JUSTIFICATION.

IT IS AN EXTREME TOOL THAT THE MINORITY HAS IN OUR TOOLBOX, AND IT IS PROTECTED AT THE TEXAS STATE CONSTITUTION.

AND SO, WE ARE NOT BREAKING LAWS, WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING THAT IS NOT IN THE HOUSE RULES.

THAT'S WHY IT IS SO STRANGE THAT PEOPLE ARE THREATENING US WITH THE REST AND WITH VACATING OUR SEATS, BECAUSE THERE IS A LONG TRADITION IN TEXAS AND IN AMERICA WHERE HERE IN THE LAND OF LINCOLN, ABE LINCOLN BROKE QUORUM AS A STATE SENATOR BACK IN 1840 BY JUMPING OUT OF THE WINDOW AT THE ILLINOIS STATE CAPITAL.

SO, THIS IS A TIME HONORED TRADITION AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE UNDERGO LIGHTLY.

AND SO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THAT LAST QUORUM BREAK IN 2021 OVER THE VOTER SUPPRESSION BILL, WELL IT DIDN'T KILL THE BILL, IT DID PUT A NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT ON THE ISSUE, WHICH PRESSURED OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES TO TAKE THE WORST PARTS OUT OF THAT BILL.

A BAN ON [ INAUDIBLE ], WHICH IS SUNDAY MORNING VOTING BUT A LOT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCHES TAKE THEIR MEMBERS TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD IN A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE BILL.

A PROVISION THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED REPUBLICANS IN OUR STATE OVERTURN ELECTION RESULTS THAT THEY DO NOT LIKE, THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE BILL, ALL BECAUSE OF OUR QUORUM BREAK AND THE ATTENTION THAT IT GALVANIZED ACROSS THE NATION.

>> YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR IS STARTING TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO VACATE YOUR SEATS, SO THAT HE CAN THEN APPOINT PEOPLE TO REPLACE YOU.

YOU KNOW, CALLING ON FBI, WHICH CONTROL NOW, TO GO AND BRING YOU AND, AS IT WERE.

THERE IS TALKING ABOUT DEPUTIZING , YOU KNOW, THE TEXAS RANGERS TO SOMEHOW CROSS STATE LINES, WHICH THEY DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO AT PRESENT, AND THEN THEY ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT --I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WOULD WORK, BUT CHARGING YOU WITH BRIBERY IF YOU USE ANY CAMPAIGN FUNDS TO SUBSIDIZE THE COST OF THIS -- OF THIS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF EXPERIENCE.

DO ANY OF THOSE, IN YOUR ESTIMATION , HAVE ANY LEGAL FORCE AT ALL?

>> NO, AND I'M NOT A LAWYER, I AM A FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, BUT I HAVE GOT A LOT OF COLLEAGUES WHO ARE VERY TALENTED LAWYERS, AND WE HAVE BROUGHT ON A TEAM OF LAWYERS TO HELP US, GIVEN THESE THREATS BUT ALL OF THEM AGREE THAT THE THEORIES UNDER PENDING THESE THREATS ARE LAUGHABLE.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY WON'T SUCCEED.

POLITICIZED, ESPECIALLY IN TEXAS.

AND SO, WE WILL SEE IF IT WORKS, BUT IF WE ARE JUST GOING BY RULE OF LAW, YOU KNOW, I THINK THESE SHOULD BE LAUGHED OUT OF COURT.

AND I THINK IT IS EQUALLY LAUGHABLE THAT KEN PAXTON , THE MOST CORRUPT POLITICIAN IN TEXAS, PERHAPS THE MOST CORRUPT POLITICIAN IN THE COUNTRY, IS ACCUSING US OF BRIBERY WHEN HE WAS LITERALLY IMPEACHED ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS IN THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR HIS CORRUPTION AND FOR ENRICHING HIMSELF AND HIS DONORS .

SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HYPOCRISY AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.

AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT THIS REDISTRICTING ATTEMPT, THIS POWER GRAB IS CORRUPT, TOO.

WE OFTENTIMES THINK OF CORRUPTION IS JUST INVOLVING MONEY.

THAT IS CERTAINLY ONE KIND OF CORRUPTION, BUT CORRUPTION IS THE ABUSE OF POWER.

IT IS THE BETRAYAL OF THE PUBLIC TRUST.

AND THIS IS CORRUPTION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.

SO, TALK ABOUT THE MAPS THEM, IT IS NOT EXACTLY A SECRET WHAT THEIR OBJECTIVE IS THE OBJECTIVE IS AT THE REQUEST OF THE PRESIDENT, HE WAS VERY REDRAW THE LINES TO GIVE REPUBLICANS THE ADVANTAGE, OR SO THEY BELIEVE, IN FIVE ADDITIONAL SEATS.

AND THAT WOULD MEAN CONSOLIDATING SEATS THAT ARE CURRENTLY HELD BY DEMOCRATS OR JUST BASICALLY REDRAWING THE LINES, AND EVEN THE SUPREME COURT HAS RULED THAT YOU CAN'T REDISTRICT ALONG RACIAL LINES.

THEIR ARGUMENT IS THIS ISN'T RACIAL AT ALL.

THIS IS PARTISAN.

AND THAT THAT IS PERFECTLY ALLOWED.

WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THAT?

>> WELL, ONE, I WOULD DISAGREE THAT THIS IS NOT RACIAL GERRYMANDERING.

YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THESE MAPS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY DIVIDE, THE VOICES THEY DILUTE, IT IS PRIMARILY BLACK AND BROWN.

IT IS AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AND IT IS LATINO COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, TWO GROWING POPULATIONS IN OUR STATE THAT THEY ARE DISENFRANCHISING WITH THIS RACIST AND DISCRIMINATORY GERRYMANDERING.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT HOW CRAZY IT IS THAT THEY SEEM TO BE VERY OKAY ADMITTING PUBLICLY THAT THIS IS A NAKED POLITICAL POWER GRAB.

THAT MAY BE ILLEGAL, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY NOT MORAL AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT SUPPORTED BY THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.

THERE WAS POLLING DATA RELEASED EARLIER THIS WEEK SHOWING THAT THIS POWER GRAB IN TEXAS IS WILDLY UNPOPULAR ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, INCLUDING AMONG TRANS-SUPPORTERS, BECAUSE NO ONE LIKES CHEATING.

AND NO ONE LIKES RIGGING AN UPCOMING ELECTION.

PEOPLE SHOULD BE EVALUATED ON THEIR POLICIES AND THEIR RECORD.

AND IF THOSE POLICIES ARE UNPOPULAR, THEN YOU SHOULD FACE CONSEQUENCES AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTY.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN EMBROILED IN CORRUPTION, RECEIVING PLANES FROM A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT, HE IS KICKING BILLIONS OF PEOPLE OFF THERE HEALTHCARE TO FUND BILLIONAIRES, AND THOSE POLICIES AND THOSE ACTIONS ARE UNPOPULAR.

AND AS THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE COUNTRY, HE NEEDS ACCOUNTABILITY.

HE NEEDS TO FACE CONSEQUENCES AT THE BALLOT BOX.

NOT JUST FOR ALL OF US, BUT FOR HIM, THAT WOULD MAKE HIM A BETTER PRESIDENT.

SO, EVEN IF YOU ARE A TRUMP SUPPORTER, AND FACING ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE NEXT ELECTION WILL MAKE HIM A BETTER LEADER FOR ALL OF US, AND I REGARDLESS OF HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THE PRESIDENT.

>> SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU'RE GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT, IN A NUMBER OF HIS INTERVIEWS, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CONSERVATIVE MEDIA, YOU KNOW IT HAS TO BE SAID, HIS ARGUMENT IS THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE CHEATING BY LEAVING THE STATE.

HE SAYS A TEXAN STAYS AND FIGHTS.

AND WITH THAT, YOU ARE ADVOCATING YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, BUT IT IS ALSO THAT YOU ARE THE ONES THAT ARE NOT WILLING TO STAY AND FIGHT AND ARGUE IT OUT.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THAT?

>> WE ARE NOT RUNNING AWAY FROM A FIGHT, WE ARE RUNNING INTO A FIGHT, WE ARE RUNNING TO THE FRONT LINES OF THIS FIGHT.

AND TAKING A LOT OF RISK TO DO IT.

WE ARE THE ONES FACING THREATS, INCLUDING THREATS OF VIOLENCE, AND GREG ABBOTT IS IN HIS FANCY MANSION, SURROUNDED BY SECURITY DETAIL, SO YOU TELL ME WHO IS MORE COURAGEOUS IN THIS FIGHT.

AND I WOULD JUST SAY AGAIN, THAT WE ARE TAKING ON ALL THIS RISK, SO WE CAN FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE.

I THINK THERE IS A STARK MORAL DIFFERENCE HERE.

GREG ABBOTT AND TEXAS REPUBLICAN POLITICIANS ARE WILLING TO DISEMPOWER THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS TO PROTECT THEIR POSITIONS.

GIVE UP OUR POSITIONS TO EMPOWER THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS.

THAT IS THE STARKEST CONTRAST THAT YOU CAN DRAW , AND I AM HAPPY TO HAVE THE PEOPLE OF OUR STATE JUDGE US ON THOSE MERITS.

>> THE OTHER ARGUMENT THAT PEOPLE ARE MAKING, AND I HAVE HEARD THIS AGAIN CONSERVATIVE MEDIA, IS THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE LEFT FOR STATES THAT ARE THEMSELVES --HAVE BEEN GERRYMANDERED.

THAT HAVE A HISTORIC --THERE IS A HISTORIC PRESIDENT AND MANY OF THESE STATES FOR SUBSTANTIALLY GERRYMANDERED DISTRICTS , WHICH HAPPEN TO FAVOR DEMOCRATS.

SO, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THAT?

>> I HAVE CONDEMNED THOSE MAPS, INCLUDING THE ONE HERE IN ILLINOIS.

GERRYMANDERING IS WRONG, WHICHEVER PARTY DOES IT, IN WHICHEVER PART OF THE COUNTRY IT IS DONE.

WE HAVE TO GET GERRYMANDERING OUT OF OUR POLITICS.

AND YOU KNOW, DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS WHO MAY HAVE THE MAJORITY, THEY TRIED TO PASS A BAN ON GERRYMANDERING FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY, IN RED STATES AND BLUE STATES, AND EVERY VOTED AGAINST THAT BAND.

BUT GERRYMANDERING IS A BIPARTISAN PROBLEM AND IT HAS TO END ALL I WANT TO SAY IS WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN TEXAS IS A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL OF CORRUPTION AND BREAKING OF THE SYSTEM THAT IS BEING DONE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DECADE AND IT IS BEING DONE AT THE DIRECT REQUEST OF THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE COUNTRY, AND IF PEOPLE CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT IS A LOT MORE DANGEROUS THAN TYPICAL GERRYMANDERING, THEN I THINK WE HAVE GOT WORK TO DO TO HELP PEOPLE WAKE UP TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THEIR NAME, IN THEIR GOVERNMENT BUT AS THESE POLITICIANS ARE TRYING TO PICK THEIR VOTERS INSTEAD OF VOTERS PICKING THEIR POLITICIANS.

AND IF WE WALK DOWN THAT ROAD, I WORRIED ABOUT WHERE IT LEADS.

>> AND SPEAKING OF WALKING DOWN THAT ROAD, DEMOCRATS IN SOME STATES LIKE CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK ARE SAYING IT IS TIME TO FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE PIT GOVERNOR NEWSOM IN CALIFORNIA, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL IN NEW YORK IS SAYING, OKAY, TEXAS, IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD, WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO AMEND OUR STATE CONSTITUTIONS TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.

AND SOME OF THEM SAY THIS WITH REGRET, BUT OTHERS SAY, YOU WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THAT?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT WORD IF IS VERY IMPORTANT, THIS SHOULD ONLY BE DONE IN SELF-DEFENSE.

I DO NOT SUPPORT ANY PREEMPTIVE GERRYMANDERING IN BLUE STATES.

I ONLY THINK THIS SHOULD HAPPEN IF TEXAS REPUBLICANS GO THROUGH WITH THIS POWER GRAB AND CHEAT.

BEFORE THE UPCOMING ELECTION.

IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN ALL BETS ARE OFF AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CANNOT UNILATERALLY DISARM YOU.

YOU STOP A BULLY BY STANDING UP TO THEM, BY LOOKING THEM RIGHT IN THE EYE AND NOT BLINKING.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT DEMOCRATS NEED TO DO IF THE POLICE GO FORWARD WITH THEIR PLAN IN TEXAS.

>> AND YOU HAVE ACTUALLY INTRODUCED AN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING BILL IN EVERY SESSION SINCE 2021, AND I'M JUST WONDERING, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IDEA DOESN'T HAVE MORE APPEAL?

>> BECAUSE THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE OF PARTY, IT IS AN ISSUE OF POWER.

THE PEOPLE IN POWER WANT TO HOLD ONTO POWER, IT IS THE TALE AS OLD AS TIME.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS THEY DO IT, BY GERRYMANDERING.

AGAIN, IN BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES, THEY DRAW THESE MAPS INTO THESE CRAZY SHAPES TO MANUFACTURE THE OUT COME THEY WANT, TO INSULATE THEMSELVES FROM THE WILL OF THE PUBLIC.

AGAIN, NOTHING COULD BE MORE UN- AMERICAN, NOTHING COULD BE MORE UNDEMOCRATIC THAN THAT, AND IT IS WHAT LEADS TO EXTREMISM IN OUR POLITICS.

YOU KNOW, MY CONSTITUENTS OFTEN ASKED ME WHY WE AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE ARE FOCUSED ON FINDING SCHOOLS, MAKING NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER, EXPANDING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, LOWERING PROPERTY TAXES, WHY ARE WE FOCUSED ON ALL THIS CRAZY CULTURE WAS STUCK QUESTION AND I TOLD HIM REDISTRICTING, GERRYMANDERING WHEN YOU HAVE DEEP RED SEATS AND DEEP BLUE SEATS, AND THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE, YOU DON'T HAVE SWING SEATS ANYMORE, THEN ONLY COMPETITION FOR A POLITICIAN IS IN THEIR PRIMARY.

BECAUSE THE GENERAL ELECTION IS PREDETERMINED.

WHEN ONLY COMPETITION IS IN YOUR PRIMARY MEANS THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE TO PLEASE ARE THE FARTHEST, MOST EXTREME FLANK OF YOUR BASE.

TRUE FOR REPUBLICANS AND TRUE FOR A LOT OF DEMOCRATS, AND THAT IS WHY YOU SEE SUCH EXTREMISM IN OUR POLITICAL DISCOURSE.

GERRYMANDERING IS THE ROT AT POLITICAL SYSTEM AND WE HAVE TO BAN IT EVERYWHERE IN ALL STATES.

>> MY QUESTION FOR YOU AS A DEMOCRAT IS HOW ARE YOU SO SURE THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE STATE DON'T AGREE WITH THE REPUBLICANS , THEY THINK THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS JUST FINE?

HOW DO YOU KNOW?

>> THAT MAY BE TRUE.

TEXAS GOT MORE COMPETITIVE.

I REMEMBER WHEN I GREW UP IN TEXAS, DEMOCRATS LOST STATEWIDE BY 25, 30 POINTS.

NOW WE CONSISTENTLY ONLY LOSE BY SINGLE DIGITS.

AND JOE BIDEN IN 2020 AGAINST DONALD TRUMP, IT WAS A FIVE POINT GAP IN OUR STATEMENT SO, TEXAS IS NOT THIS DEEP RED STATE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT IS, WE ARE MUCH MORE A PINK STATE RIGHT NOW, TRENDING TOWARD PURPLE.

YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE ARE A SMALL MINORITY IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, THAT IS ACTUALLY NOT TRUE.

THE ONLY REASON WE CAN BREAK QUORUM IS BECAUSE WE ARE SUCH A LARGE MINORITY.

WE CONTROL ABOUT 42, 43% OF THE SEATS IN THE LOWER CHAMBER.

IF WE WERE A TINY MINORITY, WE COULDN'T BREAK BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MEMBERS TO HOT BUSINESS ON THE FLOOR, SO I WOULD SAY, TO YOUR QUESTION, WE SHOULD ALL BE TRYING TO COMPETE FOR THESE VOTES, AND I THINK THAT IS TRUE FOR REPUBLICANS, TOO, AND I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD BE TRYING TO CHEAT IF YOU FELT LIKE YOU WERE GOING TO WIN THE NEXT ELECTION.

>> SO, WHAT WOULD VICTORY IT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU AT THE MOMENT?

DO YOU SEE ANY MOVEMENT HERE?

DO YOU SEE ANY POSSIBILITY THAT THERE MIGHT BE --I DON'T KNOW, A MEETING OF THE MINDS THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO COME HOME?

>> I MEAN, I HOPE FOR THAT, I PRAY FOR THAT, BUT I AM PLANNING --MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE PLANNING FOR IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

ONE, I THINK THE PUBLIC BACKLASH HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING, AGAIN, ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, AND THAT IS A GOOD THING.

SECOND, I THINK YOU ARE C THESE BLUE STATES WITH TRIFECTA'S MOVING TOWARD RETALIATION.

I AM HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL CONVINCE MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES AND PRESIDENT TRUMP TO WALK BACK FROM THE BRINK.

BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS A NATIONAL TAKE TATT SENDING THE SPIRAL OF PARTISANSHIP.

WE DON'T WANT THAT, I DON'T THINK ANYONE WANTS THAT, I CERTAINLY DON'T.

SO, MY HOPE IS THAT ALL THIS PRESSURE FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM BLUE STATES, ALL OF IT CATALYZED BY OUR WORM BREAK, WILL PUT ENOUGH PRESSURE ON REPUBLICAN POLITICIANS TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND WALK US BACK FROM THE EDGE.

>> CAN YOU ENVISION A DAY WHEN PEOPLE MIGHT ACTUALLY RETURN TO SOMETHING CALLED REGULAR ORDER?

>> I DO.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, HISTORY IS A PENDULUM , AND I DO THINK 10 YEARS OF THIS TRUMPIAN POLITICS, THIS POLITICS AS BLOODSPORT, WHERE IT FEELS MORE LIKE PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING AND CIVIC DISCOURSE, I DO THINK PEOPLE ARE GETTING TIRED OF THAT.

I THINK THEY SEE THROUGH IT.

I THINK THEY ARE READY FOR SINCERITY AND HONESTY AND HOPE AGAIN.

I DO THINK THOSE TRAITS ARE GOING TO MAKE A COMEBACK, AT LEAST I HOPE SO.

>> TEXAS JAMES TALARICO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AGAIN.