Texas State Democratic Disarray

At meeting’s end, Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Houston) rose and eloquently implored Democrats to hold together. The need for 100 votes afforded the minority party some leverage. And Dems could still vote for a more palatable version of HJR 3 later. Among those promising to come through were Norma Chavez (D-El Paso), who had told the Mexican American Caucus she would vote against the measure, and Kino Flores (D-Mission), who had even signed a pledge card to that effect.

But as soon as they hit the House floor, the plan fell apart. Fourteen Democrats broke ranks, including Flores and Chavez. HJR 3 sailed through untouched with 102 yeas. Weeks later, Democratic nerves in the House are still raw.

Seven of the 14 who voted for HJR 3 are white Democrats from rural, mostly Republican districts. They need conservative credentials to survive. But Democrats feel particularly betrayed by seven who broke ranks–Chavez, Flores, Mike Villarreal (San Antonio), Roberto Gutierrez (McAllen), Jaime Capelo (Corpus Christi), Timoteo Garza (Eagle Pass), and Helen Giddings (Dallas). The seven are virtually immune to Republican threats, boasting districts voting well over 50 percent Democratic in the last statewide election. If just three of the seven had voted no on HJR 3, it would have stalled. Meanwhile back at home, a number of the Democrats who broke ranks are facing growing anger over their support for a plan that would radically restrict their constituents’ access to the courts.