AP
Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine, tried Thursday to ease tensions
with Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio.
Democrats may bolt againPartisan tensions grow over special session to resolve redistricting
07/25/2003
AUSTIN – Democratic senators said Thursday that they are poised to boycott further proceedings on congressional redistricting and that they have the numbers to paralyze the Senate if Gov. Rick Perry calls a second special session next week.
"I'm ready to walk," said Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, the Senate's longest-serving member.
"For me, there is no benefit to staying for another special session," said Sen. Mario Gallegos, D-Houston. "I can tell you as far as breaking a quorum, 11 will break it."
At least 21 of the Senate's 31 members must be present for the chamber to have a quorum and conduct business.
A walkout by 11 would prevent the Senate from considering a GOP-backed plan to add to the Republicans' narrow majority in the U.S. House by redrawing the state's congressional boundaries.
On Wednesday, a Senate committee voted along party lines to approve a map that could retire more white Democratic congressmen than the six marked for extinction in a plan the House passed on July 8. Under the Senate GOP plan, Democratic incumbents who likely could not win re-election are Martin Frost of Arlington, Chet Edwards of Waco, Max Sandlin of Marshall, Jim Turner of Crockett and Nick Lampson of Beaumont.
Democrats for whom re-election would be difficult are Lloyd Doggett of Austin, who might have to run in a heavily Hispanic district running to the Mexican border; Charlie Stenholm of Abilene, who would have to run in 13 new counties; and Ralph Hall of Rockwall, who would give up Longview and have to run in the Texarkana area.
The map's author, Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine, said he hasn't considered changes that would spare Mr. Frost or other Democrats, though he said, "I'm open to all input."
Sen. Kenneth Armbrister, D-Victoria, the only one of the Senate's 12 Democrats who has decided not to join the possible walkout, predicted that Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst would tone down the aggressiveness of Mr. Staples' map.
"The lieutenant governor has proven to me that, one, he is a man of his word, and two, that he is interested in fairness," said Mr. Armbrister. "And he's defined his version of fairness that I kind of agree to. ... It all comes back down to 19 or 20" congressional seats for Texas Republicans.
Mr. Staples' current plan could deliver to the GOP as many as 23.
Under a map drawn by federal judges after the Legislature deadlocked on redistricting during its regular session two years ago, Democrats last year won 17 of the state's 32 congressional seats.
This year, Republican leaders including U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, have pressed the GOP-controlled Legislature for a new map that would reflect the state's shift to more Republican voters.
For Democrats – who last year lost all statewide offices and control of the Legislature – protecting their majority in the state's congressional delegation has become a rallying point, especially after the flight of 51 House Democrats to Oklahoma in May
Mr. Gallegos, a former firefighter, said Democrats are aware that Mr. Dewhurst could lock members in Senate chambers, especially if a special session is called immediately after the current one adjourns. It can end no later than midnight Tuesday.
"I do keep ties with my firefighters that have the Jaws of Life," Mr. Gallegos said. "They can bolt any door open here in the Capitol."
Democrats are expected to meet within the next day to discuss the logistics of skipping a second special session.
"I think there are 11 who are extremely firm in their view that this is not an issue that warrants us coming in for a special session," said Leticia Van De Putte of San Antonio, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.
"All senators need to make their own decisions, then we will make a collective decision."
Democrats said a boycott also would protest Mr. Dewhurst's plan to break from a Senate tradition that guarantees respect for the views of the minority party. Mr. Dewhurst has said that if Mr. Perry calls the second session as expected, he would work around the Senate's traditional requirement of a two-thirds vote before a bill can be considered on the floor.
Waiving that rule again would allow 16 senators to bring up and pass a new congressional map. Republicans hold a 19-12 edge in the Senate.
"This is nothing but hardball, partisan politics," Mr. Whitmire said. "The rules are being changed to accommodate very few individuals."
Mr. Dewhurst has noted that the late Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, a Democrat, decided in a January 1992 special session not to require a two-thirds vote to bring up a state senatorial redistricting map.
Staff writer Todd Gillman in Washington contributed to this report.
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