Greg Abbott Ends Gavin Newsom and Fleeing Texas Democrats with Hilarious, Brutal Message
In August 2025, Texas Governor Greg Abbott had a sharp and joking response to California Governor Gavin Newsom and a group of Texas Democrats who had fled the state to block a Republican redistricting plan. The plan aimed to redraw Texas congressional maps to give Republicans five more seats in the U.S. House. Newsom threatened to retaliate by adding more Democratic seats in California, but Abbott laughed off the idea, saying Newsom had “no bullets” in this political fight, while Texas had plenty of options to get its way.
Abbott explained that in Texas, the governor can simply call a special session and, with a majority vote in the House and Senate, approve new district maps. He said the goal wasn’t just to give Republicans more power but also to protect Texas from Democratic-led states like California trying to tilt the system in their favor.
The standoff began when Texas Democrats left the state for blue states such as Illinois and New York to prevent a quorum and stop the redistricting vote. Abbott and Texas Republicans applied pressure by stopping lawmakers’ direct paycheck deposits, imposing daily fines, and vowing to keep calling special sessions until they returned. These measures became costly, especially for those without significant personal wealth, and donors eventually grew tired of funding the effort. The Democrats ultimately decided to return, claiming they had raised awareness about gerrymandering, though Abbott and his allies saw it as a failed stunt.
Abbott also mocked Illinois Governor JB Pritzker for criticizing Texas redistricting while running a heavily gerrymandered state himself, pointing out that even late-night shows had called out Pritzker’s hypocrisy. In the end, Abbott celebrated Republicans staying on offense in the fight over political maps.
