WASHINGTON – Sen. John Cornyn said FBI Director Kash Patel accepted his request for federal officers to work with Texas state law enforcement in tracking down the Democratic lawmakers who fled the Lone Star State to try to block Republicans’ redistricting efforts.
Cornyn, a Texas Republican, had sent a letter to Patel on Aug. 5 with his request, noting that “in a representative democracy, we resolve our differences by debating and voting, not by running away.”
More than 50 Texas Democrats left their state on Aug. 3 in order to deny Republicans the quorum they need to move ahead with their plan to carry out an unusual mid-decade redistricting. The effort could give Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives up to five more seats in the 2026 midterms. The legislators fled to blue states, including Illinois, Massachusetts and New York.
Cornyn had noted in his letter there are only about two weeks left in Texas legislature’s special session, called by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
“I am proud to announce that Director Kash Patel has approved my request for the FBI to assist state and local law enforcement in locating runaway Texas House Democrats,” Cornyn said in a statement on Aug. 7. “I thank President Trump and Director Patel for supporting and swiftly acting on my call for the federal government to hold these supposed lawmakers accountable for fleeing Texas. We cannot allow these rogue legislators to avoid their constitutional responsibilities.”
House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, fired back on X.
“Shouldn’t the FBI be tracking down terrorists, drug traffickers and child predators? The Trump administration continues to weaponize law enforcement to target political adversaries. These extremists don’t give a damn about public safety. We will not be intimidated,” he wrote.
Cornyn, who has served in the Senate since 2002, is heading toward a tough 2026 Republican primary against the state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton. Early polls show Cornyn trailing Paxton by double digits.
Contributing: Savannah Kuchar
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: GOP senator says FBI will help track down Texas Dems who fled state
