Beto O'Rourke Says Third Trump Term Is Coming If Texas Democrats Don't Fight Back
Source: Huff Post
Aug 3, 2025, 08:35 PM EDT
Former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke warns Democrats of a third Donald Trump term if they dont stop Republicans from gerrymandering Texas and giving them an additional five seats in Congress.
No longer will we have a check on his lawlessness, accountability for his corruption and crimes, and we will see a Republican-majority Congress roll out the royal red carpet for a third Trump term, ORourke said Saturday on MSNBC. Those are the stakes and thats why we got to fight and we got to fight to win.
On Friday, during a special session about last months deadly Texas flooding, a Texas House panel advanced the redrawn map, which would add five new Republican districts in Texas, but ORourke said its not a done deal and Texas Democrats can deny their Republican counterparts the numbers to certify the maps. Trumps team requested Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to call for a special session to redraw the map and Republican lawmakers have been honest about their plans, saying they are redrawing the map for political advantage.
ORourke said he hopes Texas Democrats will deny Republicans the votes and deprive Trump of the five seats, but ultimately, he wants Democrats to inspire Americans, who have been waiting for Democrats to fight and to fight to win. He continued by saying Democrats should aim to redraw districts now and gain even more seats in states that already hold a lot of Democratic seats, like California, New Jersey and Illinois.
Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/beto-orourke-third-trump-term-coming-texas-democrats-fight-back_n_688fbc4ae4b01556427079dc

rampartd
(2,435 posts)doesn't trump vs colorado rule that a state can not deny him a place on the ballot?
his pickled head may be president in 3025, futurama style
BumRushDaShow
(160,136 posts)was done by invoking the "Insurrection Clause" (Sec. 3 of the 14th Amendment).
If any candidate did not properly follow state rules for gaining access to the ballot (e.g., valid petitions submitted by a deadline, etc), then they can and have been denied access, although most states have an option for a "Write-in" candidate too.
Alice B.
(618 posts)nt
FBaggins
(28,430 posts)Particularly in a way that he cant do it without the five seats.
BumRushDaShow
(160,136 posts)he'll ignore the 22nd Amendment and have his nifty RW extremist hack lawyers argue to the SCOTUS that the 22nd Amendment "only applies" to "consecutive terms", and will have their zombie Congress pass some law that "clarifies" what the 22nd Amendment "means" (similar to how laws have been enacted to "clarify" what the 12th Amendment "means", including a couple "Electoral Count Acts" ).
Based on his past rulings, John Roberts would potentially allow that crap.
CTyankee
(67,064 posts)BumRushDaShow
(160,136 posts)was finally ratified by the end of 1951. Before then, there was only one, during the 1880s - Grover Cleveland - who was President, then out for a term, then returned again for a 2nd term - https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/1600/presidents/grovercleveland24
He could have run again but the party (Democratic) booted him.
After that, 45 became the 2nd, 2-term non-consecutive President, but now with that Amendment in place (which was spearheaded by the GOP after their frustration of the 4-term FDR).
The GOP used to run on "term limits" - and there was a period when they pranced around "promising" to only be in for "1 term" (this was mostly those in Congress), but most reneged.
The GOP were the ones to suddenly start the CT about "3rd terms" and specifically targeted Obama -
By Stephanie Condon
November 18, 2015 / 6:02 PM EST / CBS News
There are plenty of crazy stories about President Obama that have circulated on the Internet and beyond, but the president said there's one he finds particularly amusing. Asked to name the most entertaining Obama conspiracy theory, Mr. Obama said to GQ Magazine: "That military exercises we were doing in Texas were designed to begin martial law so that I could usurp the Constitution and stay in power longer. Anybody who thinks I could get away with telling Michelle I'm going to be president any longer than eight years does not know my wife."
The president was referring to the anxious speculation surrounding "Jade Helm 15," a three-month long military training exercise that took place earlier this year, spanning seven states. Some in Texas grew concerned the Obama administration was planning to "take over" the state after some conservative websites seized on an Army map that labeled Texas and Utah has "hostile" for the purposes of the simulation.
Of course, the federal government would never launch a "military takeover" of a state because federal law already -- in all cases -- trumps state law. Even so, concerns were so widespread that a group of Texans came together to monitor the military exercises. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott added fuel to the fire by ordering the state's National Guard to monitor the exercises as well.
While Mr. Obama told GQ that he could never get away with staying in the White House for a third term, he did suggest he'd enjoy entering the 2016 race: "I would've enjoyed campaigning against Trump. That would've been fun," he said.
(snip)
That article was published 10 years ago and look where we are now.

Shrek
(4,309 posts)All he needs is a couple of willing stand-ins to run on the Republican ticket, along with a Republican congress.
After the inauguration, the new VP immediately resigns. Trump is nominated and confirmed as the new VP. Then the new President resigns and Trump begins his third term.
Maybe farfetched, but entirely within the bounds of constitutional text.
BumRushDaShow
(160,136 posts)Section 1.
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
(snip)
https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxxii
So he might not be eligible to be nominated for VP and then suddenly ascend.
The issue they seem to want to argue is the allowance for more than 2 terms if the previous terms were "non-consecutive" single terms. I.e., in contrast to the very first part of the first sentence, which should be considered "clear cut". The only "except" was basically referring to Truman, who was in office at the time of ratification.
Shrek
(4,309 posts)In the scenario I described, Trump is never elected to anything.
Bengus81
(9,366 posts)a few more billion by 2028 and then fly all over the World in his FREE $400M 747.
Hornedfrog2000
(866 posts)Dictators dont step down until they are bed ridden, and maybe have a year or less to live. If you dont think this asshole would dictate from his fat ass sitting in a recliner, you havent been watching. We will hear how wise dear leader is, and he is the best we have available.
Rhiannon12866
(242,907 posts)Former Texas congressman Beto ORourke discusses Republicans' plan to redraw the maps in the state mid-decade and why it should matter to the rest of the country. He also weighs in on what the fight for Democrats looks like moving forward. - Aired on 08/03/2025.
Wiz Imp
(7,116 posts)Anyway, there's a really strong likelihood Trump will be dead within a year.
Bluestocking
(294 posts)OldBaldy1701E
(9,043 posts)Hornedfrog2000
(866 posts)I work in acute healthcare. I see nothing that he is anywhere close to death.
Wiz Imp
(7,116 posts)And she lays out many physical and psychological symptoms. If you don't think that all this combines to show someone in extremely poor health, then I don't know what to say. Everybody I know who works in healthcare would strongly disagree with you.
https://thistleandmoss.com/p/donald-trump-is-going-to-die-soon
Oopsie Daisy
(6,670 posts)There will not be a 3rd Trump term.
Hornedfrog2000
(866 posts)This douche bag is illigitimate. He needs drug out of the whitehouse and ran back to russia just like ukraine did to their russian installed dictator.
SpankMe
(3,597 posts)"He continued by saying Democrats should aim to redraw districts now and gain even more seats in states that already hold a lot of Democratic seats, like California, New Jersey and Illinois."
Blue states have been passing laws in the last decade or so to have non-partisan committees draw up "fair" districts to assure proportional representation in their congressional delegations. It's time to jettison that honorable practice and go nuclear.
Brainfodder
(7,781 posts)I can see a lot of credit card debt being won down!