Greg Abbott

Texas Democrats End 2-Week Standoff, Return for Trump-Ordered Redistricting Vote

| Importance: 9/10

Texas House Democrats return to Austin after 2-week quorum break in Illinois, ending resistance to Trump-ordered congressional redistricting. Republicans impose 24-hour security surveillance requiring DPS escorts and “permission slips” to leave chamber. Rep. Nicole Collier refuses, …

Texas House Democrats Nicole Collier Dustin Burrows Greg Abbott Ken Paxton +2 more redistricting gerrymandering quorum-break trump-interference democratic-surveillance +2 more
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Texas Legislature passes redistricting without Democrats present

| Importance: 10/10

In a controversial move, the Texas Legislature voted to change quorum rules and pass a new congressional map creating five additional safe Republican seats without Democratic members present. The legislature modified procedural rules to allow passage despite the absence of Democratic lawmakers, who …

Texas Legislature Texas Republicans Greg Abbott Texas House Democrats Todd Hunter redistricting gerrymandering quorum-violation constitutional-crisis electoral-manipulation +2 more
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Trump demands Texas conduct mid-cycle redistricting for 5 new GOP seats

| Importance: 10/10

President Trump publicly demands Texas Governor Abbott conduct unprecedented mid-cycle redistricting to create 5 new safe Republican congressional seats. Abbott initially resists, citing constitutional concerns and costs. Democratic legislators flee to Illinois to break quorum, with civil arrest …

Donald Trump Greg Abbott Texas Legislature redistricting gerrymandering constitutional-crisis electoral-manipulation mid-cycle-redistricting
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Musk's Lobbying Team Secures Sweeping Legislative Wins in Texas

| Importance: 8/10

Elon Musk deployed a sophisticated lobbying operation in Texas, hiring 12 lobbyists across SpaceX, Tesla, and X Corp. The team, including former advisors to Governor Greg Abbott, successfully influenced multiple legislative actions. They secured laws benefiting Musk’s companies, including …

Elon Musk SpaceX Lobbyists Tesla Lobbyists Greg Abbott Texas Legislature kleptocracy corporate-lobbying legislative-capture elon-musk
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Texas offers Trump 1,402 acres for deportation facilities in "Jocelyn Initiative"

| Importance: 8/10

Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham offered the Trump administration 1,402 acres in Starr County, 35 miles west of McAllen, for mass deportation facilities. The state purchased the farmland for $3.8 million in October 2024, initially for border wall construction. Named the “Jocelyn …

Dawn Buckingham (TX Land Commissioner) Donald Trump Tom Homan Greg Abbott Texas General Land Office deportation-infrastructure state-federal-partnership land-appropriation mass-deportation-planning
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