Rep. Penny Morales Shaw (D-Houston) and Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) met Thursday with Speaker of the House Javier Martinez (D-Albuquerque) and House Majority Whip Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque). Courtesy/NMHD
STATE News:
ALBUQUERQUE — Texas House Democrats joined New Mexico House Democratic leaders Thursday as part of their national campaign against Donald Trump’s nationwide assault on voting rights. Rep. Penny Morales Shaw (D-Houston) and Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) met with Speaker of the House Javier Martinez (D-Albuquerque) and House Majority Whip Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque).
They discussed the imminent threat that mid-decade gerrymandering poses not just to Texas but to the entire United States and the success of the Texas Democrats’ efforts to ignite a nationwide conversation about the dangers of gerrymandering.
“Today’s meeting with New Mexico’s Democratic Leadership strengthened our resolve to continue fighting to make sure our children grow up in a democracy,” Zwiener said. “Leaving our families, jobs, and lives behind in Texas was not a decision we made lightly, but one we made with absolute certainty that it was the right thing to do. Our voters deserve fair representation in Congress, not to have their votes effectively stolen by DC political bosses. Thank you to Speaker Martínez, Whip Hochman-Vigil, Leader Szczepanski and New Mexico for your continued support.”
“What we’re witnessing in Texas are the extreme lengths some Republicans are willing to go to in order to silence voters and try to escape accountability at the ballot box,” Speaker Martínez said. “Make no mistake, this doesn’t end with Texas; this is a nationwide attack on our democracy. New Mexico House Democrats are proud to stand alongside Reps. Morales Shaw, Zwiener, and all of the Texas House Democrats to hold the line.”
“In New Mexico, we’ve taken critical steps to protect and expand voting rights so that all New Mexicans have a voice in the policy decisions that impact their daily lives,” Whip Hochman-Vigil said. “But in Texas and across the country, Republicans are trying to chip away at this fundamental freedom and undermine the foundation of our democracy. I applaud our Texas colleagues for taking a courageous stand for their constituents, while raising awareness for this issue nationwide.”