Abbott threatens extra Republican seats if Texas Democrats keep away

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Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to extend the redistricting margin for his social gathering if Democratic state lawmakers do not return to Austin.

Democrats from the Lone Star state have made nationwide headlines for skipping city and protesting efforts by Abbott and Republicans to redraw the map with a view to create 5 congressional seats for his or her social gathering in hopes of widening the tight margins within the Home of Representatives forward of the 2026 midterms.

In a preview clip of Friday's installment of the "Ruthless" podcast , Abbott steered he may not cease at 5 seats.

BETO O'ROURKE ASKED POINT BLANK WHY HE'S HELPING DEMS FLEE TEXAS RATHER THAN HELPING TEXAS

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to extend Republican seats by means of redistricting by as much as eight if Democratic state lawmakers do not return to Austin. (REUTERS/Callaghan O'hare)

"What I am considering now could be that if they do not begin exhibiting up, I'll begin increasing," Abbott mentioned. "We might make it six or seven or eight new seats we'll be including on the Republican aspect."

"The wall simply obtained ten toes greater," joked "Ruthless" co-host Josh Holmes.

Abbott is satisfied that the battle ends with the Democratic lawmakers coming again to Texas, whether or not it is "tomorrow," "subsequent week" or "subsequent month."

"They will come again, or we'll be capable to monitor them down. By some means, they're coming again, and it is going to finish with these maps being handed," Abbott mentioned.

The Texas governor additionally touted his ongoing effort to have the Democratic lawmakers faraway from workplace, hoping it might be a deterrent for them making an attempt to drag an identical stunt sooner or later.

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Texas Home Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu led a bunch of his colleagues to Illinois over the intensified redistricting debate. (Scott Olson/Getty Pictures)

"How embarrassing is that?" Abbott exclaimed of the Democrats fleeing. "That is one thing that college children do, you already know, 'I am dropping the sport! I am simply gonna stroll away and go away.' That is not the best way adults function. It isn't the best way that staff function. However know this, Texans, that is the best way your Texas Democrats function, and that is precisely why increasingly more Texans are voting Republican than ever earlier than."

The nationwide debate that has erupted over gerrymandering, Abbott says, has put a highlight on closely gerrymandered blue states, together with Illinois, which even caught the eye of liberal "Late Present" host Stephen Colbert , who poked enjoyable on the "loopy" districts carved out by Illinois Democrats throughout an alternate with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Pritzker, who has been offering political refuge for the fleeing Texas Democrats, joked {that a} "kindergarten class" drew Illinois' redistricting map.

COLBERT CONFRONTS JB PRITZKER WITH MAP SHOWING ILLINOIS GERRYMANDERING

"Late Present" host Stephen Colbert confronted Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker over his state's gerrymandered map. (Screenshot/CBS)

"Individuals have now realized how gerrymandered all these blue states are," Abbott mentioned. "They now see that map in Illinois, they've seen the map in New York, they see that 40% of the folks in Massachusetts voted for President Trump, and but there are zero Republican congressional districts there. Have a look at what occurred in California. The worst examples of gerrymandering are Democrat states. And now Individuals have realized that."

The complete interview shall be on Friday's installment of "Ruthless." Tune in to the "selection program" each Tuesday, Thursday and Friday on all podcast platforms and YouTube.

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"Ruthless" could be listened to on all podcast platforms and could be watched on YouTube. (Fox Information Media)

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Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox Information Digital. Story suggestions could be despatched to joseph.wulfsohn@fox.com and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.