Houston Democratic reps take part in continued fight against redistricting

AUSTIN - Two Texas House Democrats are waging separate protests, pushing back on what they view as Republican overreach.

As a part of those protests, one Houston representative spent the night at the Capitol, while another remains out of state. 

Houston lawmakers battle redistricting

The latest:

Over the past 24 hours, Ft. Worth Democratic Rep. Nicole Collier has drawn national attention for her decision to reject a Texas State Trooper escort aimed at insuring her attendance for House votes on redistricting and other contentious issues.

Alongside Collier was Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston), who joined her in the overnight protest. 

Collier was among dozens of Democrats who left the state in protest over a mid-decade Republican redistricting plan aimed at adding GOP seats in Congress.

After stifling the initial Special Session, Collier and most of her colleagues returned to Texas where House Speaker Dustin Burrows ordered the DPS escort.

What they're saying:

 Collier said "no", opting instead to remain overnight at her desk on the House floor rather than agree to the surveillance and calling the restriction an act of "intimidation...and an assault on her dignity".

 Meantime, State Rep. Jolanda Jones (D-Houston) announced she would remain out of state and would not participate in the House floor debate over the new election maps.

 "So people don't have to ask where I am on this. I'm ten toes down. I'm not going back there. I'm not participating in an unfair fight and anybody who says we won the messaging war, okay what does that have to do with what I'm losing which is two Black seats. We got the world to talk about it, we got the United States to talk about it. That's great, but we are still going to lose two Black seats," said Jones.