Khadijah Shehu Abdulkareem
AUSTIN, Texas — Dozens of Democratic lawmakers who fled Texas to block a controversial redistricting plan have returned after a two-week standoff, giving the state House enough members to move forward on a new Republican-backed electoral map.
The proposed map, supported by Republican President Donald Trump, would add five new congressional districts likely to favour Republicans in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
More than 50 Democrats had left the state in protest, stalling legislative business and drawing national attention to what they called an “unconstitutional” mid-decade redistricting push.
“When Republicans tried to silence minority voters through racist gerrymandering, Texas House Democrats answered the call,” the Texas House Democratic Caucus said in a statement. “We’re returning to Texas on our terms — ready to build the legal record needed to defeat these maps in court. The fight continues”
The showdown in Texas is part of a broader fight over redistricting across the United States. Republican governors in states including Ohio, Missouri, New Hampshire, Indiana, South Carolina, and Florida are also considering new maps to protect the party’s narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to Politico, Republicans could gain up to 10 new seats through redistricting. In response, Democrats are preparing countermeasures, with California lawmakers expected to consider a new map this week that could give Democrats five additional seats. New York may also take similar steps.
During their absence, Texas Democrats faced mounting pressure. Each lawmaker accumulated $500 in daily fines, while Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton filed lawsuits attempting to remove them from office.
Senator John Cornyn, currently facing a challenge from Paxton, even asked the FBI to help locate the missing legislators, while House Speaker Dustin Burrows issued civil arrest warrants.
Despite the pressure, the group only agreed to return after successfully delaying a vote on the map during the first special legislative session. Abbott has since called a second special session, which began on Friday.