Texas State Rep. Brian Harrison (R–Waxahachie) unleashed on his own party’s leadership for allowing Democrats to walk free after dismantling the Republican agenda in the state’s first special session without facing a single consequence.
On Friday, the Texas House failed to achieve quorum for the sixth time since early August, stalling the GOP’s redistricting plan. Only 95 lawmakers showed up for the 10 a.m. session, once again falling short of the 100 needed to reach a quorum.
Harrison, visibly frustrated as he walked out of the Austin Capitol, confirmed what grassroots conservatives feared: the Democrats won and GOP leaders rolled over.
The session, which was supposed to address urgent Republican priorities like redistricting and property tax relief, ended in total failure.
According to Harrison, the blame lies not just with the Democrats who obstructed the session, but with “weak, feckless” Republican leadership that refused to hold them accountable.
Texas GOP leadership had previously signaled that rogue Democrats would be subject to arrest or removal from committees if they obstructed legislative priorities. But as the dust settles from the first special session, it’s clear: those threats were empty.
Brian Harrison:
Just walked off the floor, and, guys, it’s official — the first special session is over. The Democrats have won. They were able to thwart the Republican priorities — every single one of them. That includes redistricting, and that includes property tax relief.And because of the weak — effectively non-response, I would argue assistance — of the supposedly Republican leadership, in particular in the Texas House, the Democrats have been allowed to do something even bigger than just thwarting the items that were on the agenda for the special session. They have been able to move around the country freely, without arrests, to galvanize national public support against our very urgently needed redistricting efforts.
And so the bottom line is this: The Democrats have won. They wiped the floor, in fact, with the Republican elected leadership in the state of Texas, who have exacted exactly zero punishments on even a single one of these rogue Democrats, despite all the promises to vacate their seats and arrest them. There have been zero Democrats with their seats vacated. There have been zero Democrats arrested. Not one Democrat has been pulled off a single committee.
Not one Democrat committee chairman — yes, Democrats chair committees in Texas — has lost their chairmanships. Not one Democrat has had their seniority taken away. Not one Democrat has had the governor, speaker, or lieutenant governor pledge to kill their legislation.
Guys, I’m sorry. You deserve and you demand results and actions. You elected President Trump in a 14-point landslide. You want bold Republican leadership. You deserve bold Republican leadership — but you are not getting that. You are getting weak fecklessness, and I’m sick and tired of Texas Democrats fighting harder for the future of our state and our nation than Texas Republicans.
Very bad update: Special Session 1 is in the tank. We’ll probably have another special session called today, and I will keep you posted. I wish I had a better update, but I’ll keep you informed.
It’s an honor to fight for your freedom and liberty. God bless you. God bless the great state of Texas.
WATCH:
DEMOCRATS OFFICIALLY DEFEAT ENTIRE SPECIAL SESSION.
With ZERO punishments for any rogue Democrat.
I’m sorry, Texans.
You deserve better.
An update… pic.twitter.com/OyZHBmOc3Y
— Brian Harrison (@brianeharrison) August 15, 2025
In response, Governor Greg Abbott announced that Special Session #2 will begin immediately.
“Special Session #2 begins immediately. There is critical work that is left undone. Texas will not back down from this fight. That’s why I am calling them back today to finish the job,” Abbott announced on X.
It is being reported that the House will reestablish quorum on Monday.
Special Session #2 begins immediately.
There is critical work that is left undone.
Texas will not back down from this fight.
That’s why I am calling them back today to finish the job.
Read my Special Session #2 agenda here: https://t.co/z9i949oQCw pic.twitter.com/jVE4S9hHAS
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 15, 2025
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