Abbott: Democrats Can't Stop Us

The Texas political showdown over new congressional maps is on the brink of turning into a national showdown. Already, Democratic Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and Kathy Hochul of New York are threatening to redraw their own state maps to give Democrats a bigger advantage, to counter what Republicans are trying to do in Texas. And that may spread:

• National: Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin tells CNN that other blue-state governors will respond in kind if Texas makes what he calls an "unconstitutional power grab." If they redraw their map to gain five seats in Congress, "I would expect Democratic governors to put every single option they can on the table," he said. "This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, right, which would bring a pencil to a knife fight. We're bringing a knife to a knife fight."

• Abbott digs in: Asked on Fox News Monday night about the Democratic threat to "fight fire with fire," as Hochul put it, Abbott shrugged it off as "crazy bluster." Democrats "are freaking out because they are realizing Texas has the authority to redistrict, and we're going to do so in a way that's going to lead to these additional seats that will vote Republican, and they will be serving in Congress in the next session," Abbott said, per the Hill. Democrats, he added, are "engaging in rhetoric, but I don't think they have the capability of actually living up to it and doing anything about it."
• In Texas: The Texas House will meet again on Tuesday, though it still can't conduct business because so many Democratic lawmakers have left the state. The House did, however, issue "largely symbolic" arrest warrants for the Democrats, per the Texas Tribune. Abbott also has threatened to try to have them removed from office and even charged with bribery if they accept funds to pay their fines of $500 per day.