One of the Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to sabotage a special legislative session is back home, and she wasted little time getting down to business with one of the silly self-serving stunts that her party specializes in.
Rep. Nicole Collier played the persecuted victim after she refused to accept a GOP-mandated state trooper escort, instead choosing to take her nightly slumber on the empty floor of the statehouse in Austin to protest.
“This was my night, bonnet and all, in the #txlege,” the Fort Worth Democrat wrote in a Tuesday post to X, sharing an image of herself tucked in, sitting upright in her chair and wearing a bonnet that she just happened to conveniently have on hand for the occasion.
This was my night, bonnet and all, in the #txlege. #thisisme pic.twitter.com/46YgqbMUk8
— Nicole Collier (@NicoleCollier95) August 19, 2025
Collier declined to comply with a requirement imposed by Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows that they sign a document pledging to be present when the House convenes on Wednesday. The returned fugitives are also subject to an around-the-clock escort from the Texas Department of Public Safety to prevent them from absconding again.
“Members who have not been present until today for whom arrest warrants were issued will be granted written permission to leave only after agreeing to be released into the custody of a designated DPS officer appointment,” Burrows said, according to Dallas-Ft. Worth Fox News affiliate KDFW.
“I refuse to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts,” Collier said in a statement. “When I press that button to vote, I know these maps will harm my constituents — I won’t just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination.”
The Jasmine Crockett wannabe was one of the dozens of Democrats who went on the lam rather than fulfill their elected obligation to vote on legislation that they disagreed with. Some, including the party’s newest martyr, fled to Illinois, where they hid behind Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker.
It was more of the performative antics that have been a hallmark of the AOC-era in American politics, a period marked by the ascendance of theater kids, drama queens, activists, and glorified social media influencers who are more invested in chasing clout on Instagram and X than governing.
Collier’s attention-seeking stunt was ripped by X users who weren’t buying it.
Wow! Having all that gear ready for a night’s sleep.
It is almost as if the whole thing is staged.
Who took the picture?
— Tim (@Dragonboy155) August 19, 2025
“Get a picture of me like this for social media.”
— . (@Lead_Flinger) August 19, 2025
Texas 95, meet your elected performance artist
— Red Chem (@red_chem_lite) August 19, 2025
Performative bullshit instead of being productive at work.
Yall love to rub in our faces how little you actually do to accomplish anything and how you’re basically just theater kids as adults— strallweat (@strallweat) August 19, 2025
I just chipped a molar from cringing so hard
— Jayroo (@jayroo69) August 19, 2025
More theater from your favorite liars and enemies of truth.
— Cool Hand Longhorn (@mhanna88) August 19, 2025
— Christy Schneider (@CHRISTYRN17) August 19, 2025
Another one of the returned Texas Democrats, Rep. Sheryl Cole, claimed that she was threatened with arrest by her police escort, who she claimed “was forced upon” her to track her “every movement” and after losing her trail on her morning walk, allegedly “made a scene” before her constituents.
While on my morning walk in the Mueller neighborhood, my DPS escort, who was forced upon me to track my every movement, threatened to arrest me. He lost me on the trail, got angry about it, and made a scene in front of my constituents on the trail. #txlege
1/3 pic.twitter.com/Gz2pLGrwr5
— Sheryl Cole (@SherylCole1) August 19, 2025
“While a little shaken up from the incident, I remain undeterred by this intimidation tactic by House Republicans to have a 24/7 state police presence to intimidate me and my colleagues,” she wrote on X.
The Austin-area Democrat also expressed her solidarity with Collier.
This is also why I stand with my colleague @NicoleCollier95, who has refused to go along with this charade and is still on the House floor 24 hours later.
We will not be intimidated by this, and history will remember this.
3/3
— Sheryl Cole (@SherylCole1) August 19, 2025
“I didn’t feel like I should be obligated to sign a piece of paper to be able to leave the floor, because we’re all adults here. It’s a show of power over people, and that’s what they’re doing now. They’re showing that they have power over us, and that’s why they’re using the force of law enforcement,” Collier said, according to NBC 5 DFW.
And just like that, a new star has been born.
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