Texas Democrats who fled the state earlier this month to block a GOP-backed election overhaul bill, defended their decision for doing so at a hearing before the House Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties on Thursday. House Democratic Caucus Dean Rep. Senfronia Thompson, Texas Legislative Black Caucus Chair Rep. Nicole Collier, and Rep. Diego Bernal—all of whom left the Lone Star State as part of an effort to prevent the passage of a Republican-backed voting measure—testified at the hearing called Democracy in Danger: The Assault On Voting Rights In Texas, which lasted over three hours. The lawmakers were three of about 60 state lawmakers who traveled to Washington from Texas this month over the voting bill, which Republicans argue is necessary to safeguard future elections and restore the public’s confidence in them. Democrats say the measure would place unfair restrictions on minority groups when they cast their ballots. …