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“To be in public office right now is to constantly ask yourself, how do I make sure that we’re standing on the right side of history? There’s a simple answer. The wrong side of history will always tell you to be afraid. The right side of history will always expect you to be courageous. Expect courage from people around you, and it will show up. Expect fear, and fear will rule the day. “
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker
Today we have new profiles in courage in opposing the Trump regime.
The Background
The Texas legislature is in-process of redistricting to create five new gerrymandered congressional districts at the expense of Democratic districts. This was ordered by Texas Governor Greg Abbot, after kowtowing to Trump’s demand to add an additional five republican-controlled districts. This is Republicans’ tactic to keep Congress under Republican control after the 2026 elections.
Texan Republicans cheerfully admit they are cheating to rig upcoming federal elections. They would rather rig elections to stay in power, instead of passing legislature that benefits regular voters instead of their billionaire owners.
As a last-ditch response, after all other normal legislative tactics were ignored, Democrats fled the state to deny a quorum. By the Texas state constitution, without a quorum, the legislature cannot conduct business.
Many of the Democratic legislators who fled are currently being sheltered by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. It’s not just Pritzker showing courage by taking a stand. The real courage, and real risks, are to the Texas Democrats who fled to deny the quorum. Abbott is so enraptured of Trump, he’s threatening the legislators a $500/day fine for every day they’re gone; felony convictions if they pay those fines with money raised through fundraising; and even removing them and appointing new legislators to replace them.
And North Korean “Leader for Life” Kim Jong-Un is busily scribbling notes on new and improved ways of being a fucking dictator.
He Speaks for Me
I think what Governor Pritzker has said is important. As a federal Government worker myself, I feel this statement every day. Even after I retire, I may still be placed in a position where doing the right thing risks my freedom through being arrested.
I have not had to show courage against this Trump regime in the form of risking my job or my freedom, so far. But if I do, I truly hope I’ll have the courage to stand on the right side of history. Governor Pritzker speaks for me.
Related Posts
Updated
August 5, 2025 with the names of Democrats holding the line in Texas.
Names of the Brave
This is a list of the 55 Texas Democrats who are risking arrest, and $500/day fines, to defend our Democracy. These people are true American heroes. List provided by Texomas news site.
- Gina Hinojosa – D49
- Ron Reynolds – D27
- James Talarico – D50
- Ann Johnson – D134
- Gene Wu – D137
- John Bucy – D136
- Trey Martinez Fischer – D116
- Josey Garcia – D124
- Diego Bernal – D123
- Toni Rose – D110
- Jon Rosenthal – D135
- Jalonda Jones – D147
- Venton Jones – D100
- Rafael Anchia – D103
- Sheryl Cole – D46
- Ramon Romero – D90
- Nicole Collier – D95
- Harold Dutton – D142
- Chris Turner – D101
- Linda Garcia – D107
- Charlene Ward Johnson – D139
- Jessica González – D104
- Ana-María Rodríguez Ramos – D102
- Lauren Ashley Simmons – D146
- Donna Howard – D48
- Lulu Flores – D51
- Vikki Goodwin – D47
- Cassandra Garcia Hernandez – D115
- Mihaela Plesa – D70
- Suleman Lalani – D76
- Ray López – D125
- Christina Morales – D145
- Barbara Gervin-Hawkins – D120
- John Bryant – D114
- Rhetta Bowers – D113
- Terry Meza – D105
- Aicha Davis – D109
- Elizabeth Campos – D119
- Alma Allen – D131
- Ana Hernandez – D143
- Salman Bhojani – D92
- Philip Cortez – D117
- Erin Gamez – D38
- Christian Manuel – D22
- Vincent Perez – D77
- Mary Gonzalez – D75
- Claudia Ordaz – D79
- Penny Morales-Shaw – D148
- Senfronia Thompson – D141
- Hubert Vo – D149
- Yvonne Davis – D111
- Erin Zwiener – D45
- Armando Walle – D140
- Bobby Guerra – D41
- Mary Ann Perez – D144
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