We Must Fight to Win
In this moment, we need representatives who will stand in the storm for us.
Most Democrats broke quorum in opposition to racial gerrymandering. That quorum break was about forcing Texas GOP leaders to own their fealty to President Trump in the spotlight of public opinion. But San Antonio’s Rep. Philip Cortez chose to remain behind.
What Rep. Cortez doesn’t understand is that we can neither tolerate abuses of power nor hope that political norms or procedure will rescue us. The time to fight is now.
Because the decisive battles were always going to come after the quorum break. Leaving the chamber was never the end goal; it was the beginning of building a movement strong enough to resist.
But I get it. While Rep. Cortez was deciding to outsource the downpayment of that movement to his colleagues, I was standing with protestors in the Texas Capitol rotunda.
The Hope of the Before Times
In 2021, it was still possible to imagine that the Texas GOP might answer to the millions of Texans who oppose racial gerrymandering.
But in 2025, we know better. Republicans have shown how far they are willing to go to consolidate power. They primaried their own incumbents for daring to put constituents ahead of party bosses by opposing school vouchers. They stripped Democratic legislators of committee gavels, silencing voices on which bills even make it to a vote. And now, they have rammed through a redistricting plan at the request of the national GOP and Pres. Trump.
Power, not good governance, is the only priority of the Texas GOP.
The Reality of Now
Republican leaders have abandoned the pretense of respecting the voice of minority communities.
Under the maps just approved, Latino voters will have the power to choose one US congressional representative per 1.2 million voters. By contrast, Texans who do not identify as a racial minority will have roughly three times the voting power in determining their representation.
This is not democracy. It is a deliberate choice by Gov. Abbott to dilute the voice of millions in order to preserve minority rule. And unless we confront it directly, this will not be their last abuse of process.
Rather than standing shoulder to shoulder with his colleagues in action, Rep. Cortez went home. He tried to have it both ways—claiming to support their cause while avoiding the personal cost. Instead of making an honest case for his choice, he offered excuses.
If Cortez feared consequences, it was his colleagues who bore them. The FBI was called in to track down quorum breakers. DPS staked out their homes. Threats were made against their families.
The truth is clear: the Texas GOP will do whatever it takes to hold onto power. They will not voluntarily limit themselves. They will yield to principle only when confronted by determined opposition—those willing to carry the burdens of democracy and refuse to bend under pressure.
The Choice
Texans cannot afford representatives who will not brave the storm. The rural Republicans who opposed vouchers to protect their schools understood this. The Democrats now holding the line for millions of unrepresented Texans understand it, too.
Both have paid a price for standing firm. But that is the nature of public service. Sacrifice is not a slogan—it is the reality you accept when you take the oath.
The title “Honorable” is not a door prize. It belongs to those who bear the cost when their office matters most.
When I returned from Iraq in 2004, I chose to remain in uniform despite knowing the likely cost of multiple deployments. But I decided that if someone needed to serve, I would be among them. My philosophy has not changed.
Rep. Cortez made his choice. I have made mine.
You can count on me to be your voice in the chambers of power when it matters most—standing with my colleagues for the cause of democracy, and standing with you.