Texas state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D) appeared on Tuesday’s MTP Daily to discuss Senate Bill 7, which would restrict early voting in the state, limit the ways voters can receive applications to vote absentee, and regulate the number of polling locations in urban counties, among other provisions. The bill has already passed the Texas senate, and was headed for the same fate in the house on Sunday night. That’s when Democratic representatives walked out of the chamber, thereby denying the body the necessary quorum of 100 in order to hold a vote before the legislative session expired.

The Texas state legislature meets every two years for a single 140-day session, which means Republicans would have to wait until 2023 to pass the bill. However, Gov. Greg Abbott has already said he will call for a special legislative session later this year.

Martinez Fischer noted the spate of recent laws passed designed to restrict voting in several Republican-controlled states.

“If democracy is the soul of America,” said Martinez Fischer, “we are holding the line and we need the intervention of our federal brothers and sisters to come in and give us the For the People Act and to give us the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.”

Host Hallie Jackson pointed out that the filibuster would be an obstacle those bills passing, as they have scant Republican support. She cited Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) recent comments about not wanting to “destroy” the country by gutting the filibuster before asking Martinez Fischer what his message to West Virginia senator would be.

Martinez Fischer replied,

You know, down here in Texas we say when times get tough, it’s time to cowboy up. And so with all due respect I’d ask Senator Manchin to please cowboy up and understand that… you may not want to destroy the country, but they are going to destroy the country state by state with these harsh voter suppression tactics. This is very, very tough. And sometimes we have to see the greater good. I served for 20 years in the Texas legislature. I know what it means to be in a tough situation, but for Senator Manchin, Senator [Kyrsten] Sinema, and others who may be reticent about this, I mean, really, the future of the country is at stake and all eyes are on Texas. The eyes of the nation on Texas and it’s really, in my view, kind of a now-or-never moment.

Watch above via MSNBC.

The post Texas Lawmaker Tells Joe Manchin ‘It’s Time to Cowboy Up’ on the Filibuster: Republicans ‘Are Going to Destroy the Country’ With Voter Suppression first appeared on Mediaite.

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