Breaking news:Texas Democrats flee state amid heated redistricting battle. Has this happened before? Portrait of Sudiksha Kochi

WASHINGTON ‒ An iconic future president jumping out of a window, a senator carried feet-first from the office, and state legislators moving into an out-of-state hotel: For as long as Americans have been legislating, they’ve been fleeing from legislatures to prevent votes from happening.

Texas House Democrats fled the Lone Star State on Aug. 3 in an attempt to block a redistricting that would give Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives up to five more seats in the 2026 midterms.

The Democrats dispersed to friendly blue states: Many traveled to the Chicago area, greeted by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, while other groups landed in Boston and Albany, New York.

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to expel any Democrat who was not back in Austin by the time the legislature reconvened on Aug. 4 at 3 p.m. CT. Republicans need what is called a quorum, or the minimum number of lawmakers needed to be present on the floor to carry out business.

But the tactic of fleeing to deny quorum is one that’s been used by both parties since the 1800s. Some lawmakers have hidden out in their offices, while others have fled their state to avoid being compelled to show up to vote, as is the case with Texas Democrats.

These are some of the most prominent examples from history:

Before Abraham Lincoln served as president, he was a member of the Illinois state legislature from 1834 to 1842. He once jumped out of a first-floor window to try to prevent a quorum on a vote to shut down a state-run bank in 1840, according to The New York Times.

Lincoln, a member of the Whig Party at the time, was an advocate of the state-run bank while his Democratic colleagues were not, the Times reported.

Samuel Wheeler, who is the Illinois state historian, told the Times that Lincoln had already been marked present for the quorum, making his effort pointless. “It’s not an episode that he’s very proud of later,” Wheeler said.

Oregon Sen. Bob Packwood, a Republican, tried to avoid a quorum call in February 1988 amid opposition to a Democratic-driven campaign finance reform bill, according to the U.S. Senate. He hid in his office until Capitol police later found him.

The New York Times reported that Packwood had placed a chair against one door to prevent the officers from forcing it open. “It was their mass against my mass,” he said at the time.

The officers entered Packwood’s office through another door, and they “transported him feet-first into the Chamber,” the U.S. Senate website says.

Texas Democrats fled the state in 2003 to break quorum over Republican redistricting efforts. House Democrats went to Oklahoma until the regular session of the legislature ended, the Texas Tribune reported.

Eleven Democratic state senators went to New Mexico after former Gov. Rick Perry called a special session, according to the Tribune. Then Democratic Sen. John Whitmire returned to Texas, officially allowing Republicans to advance with their redistricting plans after reaching a quorum.

..