AUSTIN, Texas — Republican tactics mirror patterns of authoritarianism, said Texas Democrats at a Sept. 8 panel at the University of Texas at Austin, warning that curbing dissent threatens democracy. 

State Representatives Gina Hinojosa, John Bucy, and Donna Howard insisted that the Republican administration unlawfully revised districts without new census data. The trio spoke onstage in the Bass Lecture Hall for an hour about the special legislative sessions, the president’s use of the National Guard, and breaking quorum in the state Legislature to block redistricting. 

“These are scary times, and yes, we have crossed over into authoritarianism,” said Representative Hinojosa. 

Democrats’ claims of authoritarianism in Texas may be overstated, but their warnings about the fragility of democracy deserve attention. Labeling Texas politics “authoritarian” might sound dramatic, but it’s hard to ignore the parallels between these tactics and those used by illiberal leaders abroad—silencing dissent, rewriting districts, and leveraging law enforcement for political gain.

The event, part of the “Conversations with Evan Smith” series, featured the journalist and former Texas Tribune CEO pressing the representatives for answers on their goals in the special session and viewpoints on the current administration. The discussion, held just 19 days after Gov. Greg Abbott signed new congressional maps into law, primarily centered on redistricting. 

Panelists tied the maps to a broader erosion of democratic norms, claiming that the redistricting effort had an explicit racial motive. Bucy warned that redrawing Texas maps could eliminate most Black and Latino districts, rejecting the claim that redistricting benefits Hispanic voters. 

“They’re doing it to gain more seats for Trump, to gain more seats for Republicans and ultimately to silence dissent,” said Bucy. 

Earlier this year, Texas Democrats fled the legislative session to prevent the minimum number of members—a quorum—from being present, blocking Republican-backed legislation. Hinojosa stood out as the only panelist to explicitly call recent actions “authoritarian,” pointing to the Republican’s efforts to remove her and Bucy from office through lawsuits. Both Howard and Bucy agreed that the increasing partisanship makes it more difficult to make a long-term difference. 

“The quorum break was about punching back,” said Bucy. “That’s not where the fight stops; that’s just the beginning of this cycle.”

The lawmakers acknowledged that while they couldn’t stop the maps—later approved by Republicans—their quorum break brought national attention to the issue. They added that lawsuits and elections now serve as the next defense for democracy. The maps are currently being challenged in court, while California considers redrawing districts to regain Democratic seats lost to Republicans. 

“We have to make sure that we do not let what is happening take over our elections [and] deprive Americans of their right to vote,” Howard said of Democrats’ redistricting attempt in California. “I do not see this as hypocritical. I still want an independent redistricting commission across this country, but right now, we fight fire with fire.” 

Conversely, Kurt Weyland, professor of comparative politics at UT, said American democracy remains “quite safe,” adding that only seven of 40 populist leaders in Latin America and Europe over the last 40 years actually succeeded in ending their democratic governments. While he acknowledged that President Donald Trump qualifies as a populist president, he rejected claims of looming authoritarianism. 

Over 500 scholars disagree, according to NPR. In a survey, US-based professors rated American democracy’s performance as a 67 on a scale from complete dictatorship to perfect democracy. Several weeks into Trump’s second term, that rating dropped to 55.

National Guard deployments in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. have drawn national scrutiny as the Trump administration expands federal involvement in local security. Guardsmen were shipped to Los Angeles to assist immigration operations, deployed to Chicago to protect federal facilities, and activated in D.C. under a “crime emergency” order, bolstering law enforcement amid rising political tension. 

All panelists said they would not give up hope and would continue to fight for their constituents. Bucy in particular remains hopeful that the Democrats will have a fair fight for several House seats, citing “several competitive seats up for grabs.” 

Texas Capitol intern Kayla Pearl did not attend the speech but said increased levels of divisiveness in the Capitol have become the new normal. As such, she urged students to vote in the 2026 midterm elections because they will determine “a lot” for the state. 

Whether or not Texas has crossed into authoritarianism, complacency is dangerous. Students and citizens alike must stay informed, vote, and hold those in power accountable—before the line between democracy and dominance fades completely.

Cameron Samuels, a student panel attendee, said the panel offered a great way to create dialogue between students and their representatives. 

“It’s a lesson for us all to learn that we should have that critical inquiry as we work with legislators who are politicians, who are going to do what it takes to survive politically, but who are also beholden to their constituencies,” he said. 

Facing right-wing attacks and mounting partisanship, Texas Democrats guarantee they’re prepared to keep fighting through the midterms. Hinojosa, current representative for District 49, recently announced her gubernatorial campaign, marking a major escalation from statehouse politics to a statewide campaign. “This is the time to strike,” she said in her announcement.

“These guys cross the line into what is lawlessness,” Hinojosa said. “This is the time to take risks. To fight back and do everything that we can to put this country back on the right track, keep it for Americans, preserve our values, preserve our fundamental rights.”