House Democrats May Sue Gov. Abbott Over Delayed Special Election

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated Wednesday that House Democrats are expected to take legal action against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott regarding his postponement in calling a special election to fill the vacant U.S. House District 18 seat. The seat, once occupied by former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner until his passing on March 5, remains vacant more than four weeks later.

Abbott, possessing the exclusive power to schedule a special election, has yet to reveal a date, even though he has acted more promptly in comparable circumstances. After the passing of former Rep. Sheila Lee Jackson last year, Abbott promptly scheduled an election within two weeks. As the next election in Texas is set for Nov. 4, Turner’s district may face a lack of representation for almost 10 months.

During a press conference, Jeffries was questioned about whether he thought Abbott was intentionally postponing the election and whether Democrats intended to pursue legal measures. “Indeed—and quite possibly indeed,” Jeffries replied before stepping away from the podium.

Texas Democratic leaders have expressed strong disapproval of Abbott’s lack of action. Kendall Scudder, the chairman of the state’s Democratic Party, described it as “outrageous,” contending that Abbott’s delay deprives a predominantly Black and Latino district of representation. Christian D. Menefee, an attorney from Harris County and a possible contender for the position, has accused Abbott of delaying actions for political advantage, claiming that he is under the influence of former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

“This is what Democrats are seeking—a confrontation,” Menefee posted on X.. “Almost 800,000 residents of Houston lack representation in Congress.” Abbott has previously called for emergency elections—he simply prefers not to do so in this instance.

Abbott’s office has not yet offered a definitive explanation for the delay, merely indicating that an announcement will be made “later.” At the same time, the Republican majority in the House is poised to expand, enhancing GOP dominance as Democrats advocate for the seat to be occupied.

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