Democratic Texas Rep. Nicole Collier spending night on state House floor after refusing GOP demand for law enforcement escort

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'Held captive': Texas GOP lock Dem lawmaker in statehouse chamber for not signing 'permission slip'

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Which party will hold a plurality in the US House of Representatives after the 2026 midterm elections?

New York Post

Watch: Texas House Democrat Nicole Collier locked in Chamber overnight in protest

Texas State Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth on Monday remained on the House floor overnight after refusing to sign a waiver agreeing to a mandatory law enforcement escort to leave the floor.

Texas State Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth on Monday remained on the House floor overnight after refusing to sign a waiver agreeing to a mandatory law enforcement escort to leave the floor.

This comes after <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.improvethenews.org/story/2025/texas-democrats-end-walkout-as-redistricting-battle-spreads">Texas House Democrats returned to the state Capitol on Monday</a> after leaving to other states for two weeks to prevent a vote on a Republican redistricting plan that would create five more GOP-leaning congressional seats for the 2026 midterm elections.

This comes after Texas House Democrats returned to the state Capitol on Monday after leaving to other states for two weeks to prevent a vote on a Republican redistricting plan that would create five more GOP-leaning congressional seats for the 2026 midterm elections.

Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows on Monday required returning Democrats to sign written permission and accept Department of Public Safety escorts to leave the House chamber, with officers tasked with ensuring their return when the House reconvenes Wednesday morning.

Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows on Monday required returning Democrats to sign written permission and accept Department of Public Safety escorts to leave the House chamber, with officers tasked with ensuring their return when the House reconvenes Wednesday morning.

Reps. Gene Wu and Vince Perez, who signed the waivers, stayed on the House floor with Collier overnight, with Wu posting photos of their snacks, including dried peaches, freeze-dried grapes, popcorn and ramen.

Reps. Gene Wu and Vince Perez, who signed the waivers, stayed on the House floor with Collier overnight, with Wu posting photos of their snacks, including dried peaches, freeze-dried grapes, popcorn and ramen.

Collier posted a photo of her sleeping at her desk. She said that she intends to remain in the Capitol through the return of business Wednesday.

Collier posted a photo of her sleeping at her desk. She said that she intends to remain in the Capitol through the return of business Wednesday.

The redistricting effort was launched at President Donald Trump's urging and has triggered a nationwide gerrymandering response, with California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom proposing retaliatory maps that could help Democrats gain five seats.

FOX News

The redistricting effort was launched at President Donald Trump's urging and has triggered a nationwide gerrymandering response, with California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom proposing retaliatory maps that could help Democrats gain five seats.

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Texas State Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth on Monday remained on the House floor overnight after refusing to sign a permission slip to leave the floor, instead stating that she would not sign away her dignity as a duly elected representative.

Texas State Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth on Monday remained on the House floor overnight after refusing to sign a permission slip to leave the floor, instead stating that she would not sign away her dignity as a duly elected representative.

This comes after <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.improvethenews.org/story/2025/texas-democrats-end-walkout-as-redistricting-battle-spreads">Texas House Democrats returned to the state Capitol on Monday</a> after fleeing to other states for two weeks to prevent a vote on a Republican redistricting plan that would create five more GOP-leaning congressional seats for the 2026 midterm elections.

This comes after Texas House Democrats returned to the state Capitol on Monday after fleeing to other states for two weeks to prevent a vote on a Republican redistricting plan that would create five more GOP-leaning congressional seats for the 2026 midterm elections.

Reps. Gene Wu and Vince Perez, who signed the would-be permission slips, planned to stay on the House floor with Collier overnight, with Wu posting photos of their snacks, including dried peaches, freeze-dried grapes, popcorn and ramen.

Reps. Gene Wu and Vince Perez, who signed the would-be permission slips, planned to stay on the House floor with Collier overnight, with Wu posting photos of their snacks, including dried peaches, freeze-dried grapes, popcorn and ramen.

This situation shows how far Democrats will go to avoid doing their actual jobs. They ran away from the state like children throwing a tantrum, and now one of them is camping out on the House floor rather than following basic security protocols. And they're doing all this while showing their hypocrisy by rejecting Texas' gerrymandering and cheering on California's plans.

This situation shows how far Democrats will go to avoid doing their actual jobs. They ran away from the state like children throwing a tantrum, and now one of them is camping out on the House floor rather than following basic security protocols. And they're doing all this while showing their hypocrisy by rejecting Texas' gerrymandering and cheering on California's plans.

Republicans have stooped to literally holding elected officials prisoner and treating them like schoolchildren. This is straight-up authoritarianism — locking lawmakers in chambers and demanding police escorts just because they oppose gerrymandered maps designed to silence minority voices. If this happened in any other country, we'd call it what it is: dictatorship.

Republicans have stooped to literally holding elected officials prisoner and treating them like schoolchildren. This is straight-up authoritarianism — locking lawmakers in chambers and demanding police escorts just because they oppose gerrymandered maps designed to silence minority voices. If this happened in any other country, we'd call it what it is: dictatorship.

There's a 25% chance that Republicans will hold a plurality in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 midterm elections, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There's a 25% chance that Republicans will hold a plurality in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 midterm elections, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Texas Democrat Stays Overnight in House Chamber

Legislation

United States of America

This situation shows how far Democrats will go to avoid doing their actual jobs. They ran away from the state like children throwing a tantrum, and now they're camping out on the House floor rather than following basic security protocols. And they're doing all this while showing their hypocrisy by rejecting Texas' gerrymandering and cheering on California's plans.

This situation shows how far Democrats will go to avoid doing their actual jobs. They ran away from the state like children throwing a tantrum, and now they're camping out on the House floor rather than following basic security protocols. And they're doing all this while showing their hypocrisy by rejecting Texas' gerrymandering and cheering on California's plans.

Republicans have stooped to literally holding elected officials prisoner and treating them like schoolchildren. This is straight-up authoritarianism — locking lawmakers in chambers and demanding police escorts just because they oppose gerrymandered maps designed to silence minority voices. If this happened in any other country, nobody would hesitate to call it what it is: dictatorship.

Republicans have stooped to literally holding elected officials prisoner and treating them like schoolchildren. This is straight-up authoritarianism — locking lawmakers in chambers and demanding police escorts just because they oppose gerrymandered maps designed to silence minority voices. If this happened in any other country, nobody would hesitate to call it what it is: dictatorship.

Texas Democrat Stays Overnight in House Chamber Amid Redistricting Dispute

Texas Democrat Stays Overnight in House Chamber Amid Redistricting Dispute

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Texas Democrat Stays Overnight in House Chamber Amid Redistricting Dispute

Texas Democrat Stays Overnight in House Chamber Amid Redistricting Dispute

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