CHICAGO – Texas Democrats who fled to Illinois to protest a controversial redistricting map are now facing a bomb threat, according to the St. Charles Police Department. The threat was reportedly made early Wednesday morning, prompting the immediate evacuation of over 400 individuals from the Q-Center hotel and convention complex in St. Charles, a suburb of Chicago. The local police and the Kane County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad conducted a thorough search of the premises, but no explosives were found. The group was eventually allowed to return after authorities determined the situation was secure.
The Democratic Caucus leadership issued a statement affirming their safety, expressing gratitude to Governor JB Pritzker and law enforcement for their swift response. “We are safe, we are secure, and we are undeterred,” they said. The group, which had left Texas en masse on Sunday to prevent a quorum in the state legislature, is attempting to block a Republican-drawn congressional map that could add as many as five U.S. House seats to the GOP in the 35th elections. The potential implications of this redistricting are significant for the 2026 midterms. As a result of the bomb threat, the Democrats postponed a planned press conference with Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who has been a vocal supporter of their efforts. The situation highlights the growing political tensions surrounding redistricting and its impact on the balance of power in the U.S. Congress.