‘Our Sacrifice Is Nothing’: Texas Democrat Representative Compares Self, Colleagues to ‘Brave Americans’ for Fleeing State

Texas State Representative James Talarico (D) compared himself and his fellow Democrats’ “sacrifice” to other “brave Americans” throughout history who have protected the right to vote, after they fled the state to deprive Republicans of a quorum to pass new voting laws.

Talarico was one of more than 50 Democrats who left the state to board chartered flights and deprive Republicans enough representatives to conduct legislative business during a special session. The representatives posted pictures of themselves Monday leaving on buses and flights.

Talarico tweeted a photo of himself on a tarmac, and tweeted, “Special session is over.”

He added about an hour and a half later that they had landed in Memphis and “left behind” families, jobs, and their “beloved Texas” and compared their sacrifice to “brave Americans” throughout history:

Just landed in Memphis on our way to DC. Thank y’all for your well wishes. We left behind our families, our livelihoods, & our beloved Texas. But our sacrifice is nothing compared to the sacrifices brave Americans have made throughout history to protect the sacred right to vote,” he tweeted.

He added they left behind kids, “elderly parents,” and “sick loved ones”:

We’re prepared to stay out of Texas for the rest of the session. This decision wasn’t easy. Many of my colleagues left kids, elderly parents, & sick loved ones. Many are risking their day jobs & their seats in the House. But we won’t sit by & watch democracy wither on the vine.

Republicans pilloried Talarico for his tweet about their “sacrifice.”

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), a wounded combat veteran, called him “delusional” and “pathetic.”

“Hard to imagine a more delusional group of people – thinking that lying about these bills, hopping on a chartered flight, sipping beer, and skipping work is ‘sacrifice.’ You guys are pathetic. Totally pathetic,” he tweeted.

Jesse Kelly, a prominent talk show host and Marine veteran, joked: “It’s not all bad news out there. This guy’s family gets to be without him for a few days while he hammers soy lattes in DC. Good for them.”

“You didn’t leave behind or sacrifice anything. You’re going on vacation,” Media Research Center analyst and columnist Nicholas Fondacaro tweeted.

Several other conservative commentators mocked Talarico.

“Thoughts and prayers,” tweeted Erielle Davidson, senior policy analyst with JINSA.

Stephen Miller, podcast host and Spectator columnist, tweeted: “‘We’re no heroes’ he said as he shotgunned a can of Lite on a private chartered flight of a taxpayer expensed vacation to DC & the White House.”

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