Yahoo TV

Texas Democrats fled their state on Monday, part of an orchestrated move to derail Republican efforts to pass new voting restrictions.

The Texas House Democratic Caucus chair Chris Turner wassurrounded by colleagues as he met with media at DC's Dulles International Airport

"Today more than 50 Democratic members of the Texas House left Austin and left Texas. Not because we want to - it breaks our heart that we have to do it. But we do it because we are in a fight to save our democracy."

Democratic lawmakers have done this before.

In May, they staged a similar walkout to boycott an earlier version of the voting legislation.

That prompted the state's governor Greg Abbott to call a special session.

Democrats are now determined to deny him the quorum needed to approve any of the measures on his agenda.

Democratic Representative Trey Martinez Fischer:

"There is nothing special about this special session - this is a suppression session, this is a session to suppress our voting rights."

According to Turner, the Democrats plan to stay out of Texas until August 7th, when the special session ends.

Besides voting restrictions, Abbott's agenda includes bills that would restrict abortion access.

And block transgender students from competing in athletics that correspond with their gender identity.