‘Lawyer up’: Democrats call out Texas governor over delayed election
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Wednesday that Democrats are “very likely” to sue Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, accusing him of deliberately delaying a special election to fill a House seat that’s been vacant for nearly a month.
Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner of Texas died on March 5, at age 70, just two months into his term. But Abbott has yet to announce a special election date and has missed the deadline for the race to be held on May 3, Texas’ next available election date. That means the seat for Texas’ 18th Congressional District might not be filled until November.
In an interview with NBC News, Jeffries didn’t mince words, flat-out accusing Abbott of dragging his feet to help Republicans cling to their razor-thin House majority—especially as more members grow frustrated with House Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership.
When asked directly if he believed Abbott was intentionally stalling, Jeffries simply said, “Yes.”
Even Johnson seemed clueless about the holdout, telling NBC News he hadn’t spoken to Abbott.
“I’m not sure when he’s going to hold it,” Johnson admitted—hardly a reassuring answer from the leader of the House.
Abbott’s office has done nothing to calm Democratic concerns. When pressed for answers, a spokesperson gave NBC News the most noncommittal response possible: “An announcement on a special election will be made at a later date.”
In the worst-case scenario, the Houston-area district—home to a predominantly Black and Hispanic population—could go seven months without representation unless Abbott calls an emergency special election. But with Republicans barely holding onto power in the House, as well as fresh concern about a string of Democratic upsets, including the party’s most recent win for a state Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin, Abbott is in no hurry to fill a seat that won’t flip red.
We’ve seen this playbook before.
Just last month, the White House abruptly withdrew New York Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination for United Nations ambassador—reportedly because Republicans couldn’t stomach the risk of losing a seat. Now, after padding their numbers with two recent special election wins in Florida, they’re doing everything they can to delay a race they know they’ll lose.
Republican operatives told NBC News that an emergency election would be costly—conveniently ignoring the fact that democracy isn’t exactly cheap. And with no law forcing Abbott to act, Democrats worry he’ll just let the seat sit empty until this November—or, worse, November 2026.
Christian Menefee, a Democrat running for the seat, made it clear Wednesday night that if Abbott keeps dragging his feet, he’s ready to take legal action.
“Nearly 800,000 Houstonians are without a voice in Congress. Abbott has called emergency elections before—he just doesn’t want to do it here,” Menefee wrote on social media, adding, “Congress is voting on critical issues. TX-18 deserves a representative now—not months from now.”
Texas Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder had an even blunter message: “Our advice to Greg Abbott: Call an emergency election, or lawyer up.”
And here’s the kicker: Abbott hasn’t always been this slow. After Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee died in July 2024, Abbott moved quickly to schedule a special election to fill her seat.
Now? He’s dragging his feet like a kid who doesn’t want to do his homework. It’s not about procedure or cost—it’s about power. Republicans are so desperate to cling to their slim majority and pass President Donald Trump’s destructive agenda that they’re willing to stall, delay, and obstruct.