PRESS RELEASE - Defending Democracy: SFD Supports Bold Action of Texas Democrats Against Authoritarian Threats

For Immediate Release

August 8, 2025

Standing for Democracy (SFD) is in unflinching solidarity with the Texan Democrats who dared to stand up to the latest aggressive, anti-democratic assault by Republicans. The delegation of mainly Latin@ and African American elected officials left the state to avoid a quorum and prevent a brazen power grab by Republicans to manipulate the outcome of the 2026 mid-term elections. Despite this, as Democrats are poised to return, Governor Abbott is threatening to keep misusing his authority to undermine the democratic process. 

At a time when the nation should be remembering the necessity of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Republicans in the Texas State Legislature were hatching a MAGA scheme to disenfranchise Black and Brown voters. The GOP lawmakers are forcing the legislature to redraw the state’s 38 congressional districts to produce five additional House seats that Trump says he’s entitled to as part of a national plan to consolidate MAGA dominance and silence the voice of opponents in our democratic system.

“We are heartened by the bold actions of the Texan Democrats. The Republicans have trashed all rules, laws, and ethics in their quest to make America white again, making it clear that we who believe in freedom must defend our democracy by any means necessary,” said co-founder Dan Schlademan. 

Standing for Democracy is a national coalition of labor unions, university scholars, community organizations, and individuals committed to defending democracy and workers’ rights in the face of growing authoritarianism.