The legacy media provided ample coverage to the Texas House Democrats fleeing the Capitol in order to deny a quorum on efforts to redistrict the Lone Star State’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterms. But there was nary a peep from the legacies as the fleebaggers skulked back home.
The updated fleebagger saga did draw some coverage on Fox News’ Special Report with Bret Baier. Here is that full report in its entirety:
FOX NEWS SPECIAL REPORT WITH BRET BAIER
8/18/25
6:31 PM
BRET BAIER: Texas’ state house was able to achieve a quorum today following a two-week walkout by Democrats trying to derail a Republican redistricting effort. Correspondent Garrett Tenney shows us tonight from Austin, Texas.
DUSTIN BURROWS: A quorum is present and it’s time to resume the work the people of Texas sent us here to do.
GARETT TENNEY: After more than two weeks, the Texas House is able to do its work after dozens of Democrats in hiding returned to the state.
Taking a victory lap after fleeing Texas and delaying a vote on the GOP’s new congressional map.
GENE WU: The quorum break was successful, I think, beyond our wildest dreams. (VIDEO SWIPE) This is now the talk of the land because of the quorum break.
TENNEY: The Texas legislature could pass the new congressional map as soon as this week. And House Democrats say they plan to challenge that map in court immediately.
DEMOCRAT LEGISLATOR: We know that this is going to be impossible that they can defend this in court. This absolutely violates the Voting Rights Act.
MICHAELA PLESA: That’s what we fought for: fair maps. But if Republicans want to play dirty, Democrats can take their white hat off, too.
TENNEY: This week, California Democrats are expected to pass their own new congressional map that would create five new Democratic districts if voters approve the map in November. Former president Barack Obama is now joining the redistricting fight as well, headlining a major fund raiser in Martha’s Vineyard tomorrow for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee headed by his former Attorney General Eric Holder. But some Republicans argue that Democrats need to look in the mirror.
BRIAN HARRISON: They are just angry that a Republican state is finally standing up and doing what the Republican voters of their state want because the reality is, Democrats state after Democrat state after Democrat state for over a decade has been gerrymandering the hell out of their states.
TENNEY: The Texas House will next meet on Wednesday. And the House Speaker isn’t taking any chances with Democrats not showing up again. A state trooper has been assigned to every lawmaker who fled the state, and will stay with them until the next session. Bret.
BAIER: Garrett Tenney in Austin. Garrett, thanks.
The media’s love affair with the Texas Democrat flight of 2025 was brief but intense. Our very own Bill D’Agostino conducted a study that found interviews of Democrats far outstripped those of Republicans. As Bill noted:
Whereas four years ago the absentee legislators were celebrated as heroes, now their friends in the media media are portraying them as plucky but ultimately helpless victims, rather than brave revolutionaries.
That might be because they know there is ultimately nothing the Texas Democrats can do to stop the Congressional districts from being redrawn.
There just wasn’t any time to cover this: not on ABC, CBS, or NBC. The guilty plea of Matthew Perry’s ketamine dealer was just too important to ignore, as was the price cut of weight loss medication.
That reality is what drove House Democrats back to Austin. And after the legacies did what they could to puff them up, there was simply zero time to cover this very important development within the ongoing political debate. Things are (D)ifferent now, you see.
