Quorum breaks reflect the inability of lawmakers to compromise on legislation, lead to more spending of taxpayer dollars and create ill feelings in the Legislature that can linger for years.

That’s not cool, especially when Texans pay lots of money to fund what they hope is an efficient government, not one highlighted by acrimony.

But from a political standpoint, there are winners in these highly publicized affairs — and a few losers too.

Such is the case in the Texas Legislature, where Democrats bolted for Washington, D.C., last week to stall an elections bill that they claim is designed to suppress the votes of Black and Hispanic residents. Republicans deny those allegations, countering that the controversial bill is aimed at preventing mail-in ballot fraud, and that every Texan has even better access to the polls than ever.

Whatever the case, Democrats plan to be away from the Capitol until the special session called by Gov. Greg Abbott expires on Aug. 6. Abbott says he’ll quickly call another session, which will force Democrats to stage a third walkout, or return to House chambers.

Both sides are now fighting a public relations battle for the hearts of Texans. Most residents don’t understand the intricacies of the fight, and the sprawling bill is too complicated for a politician to break down. So they explain it with talking points.

As this tug of war continues, here are the potential winners and losers.

In line for political windfall

Democrats in safe districts

Though Republicans are expected to eventually approve the election bill and any piece of legislation they desire, Democrats representing strong Democratic districts will benefit from the walkout. Their constituents will appreciate their stand on voting rights. The result is their campaign coffers will be filled with money from inside and outside of Texas.

Like the 2003 Killer Ds who fled to Ardmore, Okla., to delay a Republican redistricting plan, many Democrats will achieve some fame. Also in 2003, Democratic state senators, dubbed the Texas Eleven, camped out at a Marriott hotel in Albuquerque, N.M., to derail the GOP’s redistricting effort. That quorum break ended when Sen. John Whitmire of Houston returned to the Capitol after a 46-day quorum break.

Despite their failure in stopping the redistricting bill, Killer Ds Joaquin Castro of San Antonio and Pete Gallego of Alpine were elected to Congress. Texas Eleven member Leticia Van de Putte was her party’s 2014 nominee for lieutenant governor, losing to Republican Dan Patrick.

It’s likely that some of the players in this year’s quorum break will move on to higher office.

Greg Abbott

Abbott is seeking his third term as governor and faces 2022 primary challenges from former state Sen. Donald Huffines of Dallas and former Texas Republican Party Chairman Allen West.

Though he was heavily criticized during the winter storm that caused the state’s power grid to falter, causing massive power outages and death, Abbott is considered a favorite to win reelection.

But the governor is always wary of challenges from the hard right, so he’s been looking to fortify his standing with the state’s most conservative voters, particularly those upset that he shut down businesses and declared a mask mandate to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Democrats walking out on his special session have given Abbott something to attack, and he knows the Republican base will agree with his hard line. Perhaps more than his plan to finish former President Donald Trump’s border wall, Abbott will get props from conservative voters for his tough talk and vow to keep calling special sessions until Democrats capitulate.

Meanwhile, Huffines and West will struggle to get the spotlight as Abbott and Democrats dominate the news coverage.

At risk

House Speaker Dade Phelan

Phelan, a freshman speaker, is in the toughest spot of all.

He was elected with strong support from Democrats, something that could erode due to hard feelings about his actions — not only after the walkout, but his willingness to approve the most extreme election bill during the regular session. That proposal was killed when Democrats walked out of chambers for a few hours to prevent the bill from being passed before a midnight deadline.

Some Republicans blame Phelan for not getting the elections bill through the House during the regular session, and doing nothing to stop Democrats from breaking quorum on the eve of adjournment.

Democrats have already criticized Phelan as a leader. They blasted him for removing El Paso Democrat Joe Moody, who is in Washington, as speaker pro tempore, the No. 2 position in the House.

And they have accused him of buckling to Abbott’s veto of the budget item that funds the Legislature.

“When Governor Abbott decided to defund the whole legislature, Speaker Phelan was silent,” several leading House Democrats said in a statement.

Democrats then reminded Phelan that they supported his bid for speaker, and that support might not be there next time.

“There needs to be 76 members who decide who our next Speaker is, and more than 60 are not there,” according to the statement.

With his relationship with the bulk of Democrats strained, Phelan has to make sure that the GOP caucus approves of his handling of the walkout. If he loses significant support there, an ambitious GOP colleague could mount a challenge against him.

Right now Phelan, who is often being upstaged on this issue by Abbott, has the toughest job in Texas politics. Let’s see if he’s up to the challenge.

Democrats who stayed in Texas

A small contingent of Democrats, some of them who lead committees under Phelan, stayed in Austin, showed up in the House chamber or were given excused absences. Excused absences means you’re not part of the quorum break.

Rep. John Turner, who represents a North Dallas district, was the only local House Democrat to show up at the Capitol. The rest of the local Democratic delegation is in Washington.

Turner, who has served two terms, is not seek reelection.

Several of the Democrats who stayed represent South Texas districts, where Republicans and Trump made inroads in the 2020 elections.

But here’s a cautionary history lesson for Democrats trying to be loyal to Phelan or worried about a general election issue.

In 2003 Fort Worth Democrat Glenn Lewis, who didn’t go to Ardmore because he was one of House Speaker Tom Craddick’s lieutenants, lost his seat to Democrat Marc Veasey.