Texas Democrats Sing High Praise for Collier’s Protest

As the Texas Legislature prepares to vote on adding five Republican congressional seats, state Rep. Nicole Collier (D) is protesting the vote by remaining in the House chamber. State Rep. Collier’s move has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans, but Democrats are singing high praise for the Texas Democrat’s protest.

Because Texas House Democrats fled the state during the special session, a Republican rule requiring Democrats to sign “permission slips” for around-the-clock surveillance by Department of Public Safety officers was instituted.

Responding to the rule, state Rep. Collier denounced the mandate as “demeaning.”

Activists outside of the House chamber agreed, calling the Texas Democrat’s stay an abuse of power and engaging in a back-and-forth with officers.

In support, Texas House Democrats like Chairman of the Texas House Democratic Caucus Gene Wu joined state Rep. Collier in a “slumber party for democracy.” Criticizing the “slumber party,” state Rep. Briscoe Cain (R) joked on social media, “we couldn’t get them to stay, now they won’t leave.”

For Democrats, however, the issue is not a joking matter.

Former House Minority Leader Trey Martinez Fischer (D) released a statement supporting state Rep. Collier’s protest, commenting that “it is too often people of color, particularly Black women, who hold the line for justice.”

“Rep. Nicole Collier carries that legacy forward in Texas,” he added, slamming the House leadership’s rule as “a cheap perversion.”

After serving two decades in the Texas House, state Rep. Martinez Fischer affirmed that no rule could override the state Constitution, citing that “under Article 3 Section 14 members of the Legislature are privileged from arrest during the session of the Legislation.”

He went on to remind Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) that his election was only made possible because of his colleagues from across the aisle.

“Treat us with the respect we all deserve,” he requested.

A recent poll conducted by Emerson College showed that Texas voters are divided on the GOP’s effort to redraw Texas’ congressional map.