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July 21, 2021      4:17 PM

Leading a small group of Texas House Democrats, Rep. Cortez says he will collaborate with GOP Rep. Murr on elections bill

GOP leadership promotes the fact that 92 House members are now at or near the Texas Capitol; 57 Democrats signed letters last week asking the Journal Clerk to lock their voting machines, that number now appears only down one to 56

Rep. Philip Cortez, D-San Antonio, on Wednesday announced that he had returned from Washington to “lead the reform effort on HB 3,” the Texas House version of the elections bill. That’s as GOP leadership promoted the fact that 92 members – from both parties – are now on or around the Texas House floor, 8 shy of a quorum.

GOP Caucus Chairman Jim Murphy earlier in the day had said there were 91 House members at the Texas Capitol. After that, QR reported that Rep. Leo Pacheco, D-San Antonio, was also back at the Capitol.

But it’s important to note that from the moment most members of the Texas House Democratic Caucus were wheels down in Washington last week, 57 of them had signed letters asking the House Journal Clerk to lock their voting machines.

That means the GOP leadership’s number for House attendance, even with Cortez back, tops out at 94.

By Scott Braddock

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