Five Texas Democrats Have Tested Positive for COVID After Fleeing State
Two additional Texas Democrats tested positive for COVID-19 in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, one day after three of the state’s lawmakers announced they had contracted the virus after abandoning a special session in Austin to avoid a vote on a new election law.
According to the Texas Tribune, an online news outlet, all five of the infected lawmakers were fully vaccinated.
The two new cases added to three Texas Democrats who tested positive on Saturday in Washington, D.C.
The Texas Tribune reported state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer of San Antonio was one of the two latest representatives to test positive.
“Today, I received a positive COVID-19 rapid antigen test result. I am fully vaccinated, and had tested negative on Friday and Saturday,” Fischer said in a statement, according to the Tribune.
“I am quarantining until I test negative, and I am grateful to be only experiencing extremely mild symptoms,” he added.
The full list of those who tested positive was not released due to privacy concerns. However, Austin-area state Rep. Celia Israel has publicly acknowledged being one of the first three lawmakers who tested positive.
“It just feels like I have a cold,” she said in a brief phone interview Saturday with Politico.
“Let this be a reminder that COVID-19 is still very much among us, with infection rates on the rise and more contagious variants spreading nationwide,” she said in an additional statement reported by Politico.
“Most importantly, I hope this instance highlights the sacrifices we’re willing to make for the cause of democracy. I would not change anything to protect the right to vote,” Israel said.
Israel tweeted on Sunday, “Yesterday, I tested positive for COVID-19. What this highlights is the risk every @TexasHDC member continues to face to defend the state we love and the Texans we represent.
“Despite my setback, I will continue to push forward and fight for every Texan to have their voices heard.”
Yesterday, I tested positive for COVID-19. What this highlights is the risk every @TexasHDC member continues to face to defend the state we love and the Texans we represent.
Despite my setback, I will continue to push forward and fight for every Texan to have their voices heard
— Celia Israel (@CeliaIsrael) July 18, 2021
Many of the Texas Democrats had met with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
Fox News reported that the news of the latest infections “comes on the same day that Vice President Kamala Harris dropped by Walter Reed Medical Center for a ‘routine’ visit after meeting with the group of lawmakers just last week.”
On Saturday, according to Fox, Harris spokeswoman Symone Sanders said the vice president had not been in close contact with those who had tested positive.
“Based on the timeline of these positive tests, it was determined the Vice President and her staff present at the meeting were not at risk of exposure because they were not in close contact with those who tested positive and therefore do not need to be tested or quarantined,” Sanders said in a statement, adding that Harris and her staff have been fully vaccinated.
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