AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Republicans on Friday warned they will escalate measures to end a nearly weeklong walkout by Democrats who are refusing to vote on new congressional maps sought by former President Donald Trump. The battle has intensified as a group of Texas House Democrats traveled to California to meet with Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has signaled he could retaliate with his own redistricting push.
Dozens of Democrats left Texas on Aug. 3 and have shown no sign of returning. Newsom has proposed that California redraw its political lines if Texas adopts new maps for the 2026 midterms, despite the state’s independent redistricting commission.
Texas has become the focal point of Trump’s effort to secure Republican control of the U.S. House by reshaping district boundaries. GOP leaders in Austin warned that if Democrats continue their absence, they will intensify efforts to remove them from office.
Gov. Greg Abbott reiterated his intention to keep lawmakers in repeated special sessions until the redistricting vote takes place. “We have an agenda to pass priorities critical to Texans, and we will get it done,” Abbott posted on X. Attorney General Ken Paxton has also vowed legal action against the missing lawmakers.
State Rep. Gene Wu, head of the House Democratic Caucus, faced a Friday deadline to respond to a filing by Abbott in the Texas Supreme Court seeking to force lawmakers back. Democrats who remain absent face daily fines and civil arrest warrants authorized by the House.
Friday marked the third failed attempt to reach a quorum since the walkout began. The Texas Constitution requires at least 100 members for the House to conduct business. Republicans currently hold an 88-62 majority.
Trump is seeking five additional Republican seats from Texas to help secure control of the chamber and avoid a repeat of 2018, when Democrats regained the House and twice impeached him.
The standoff has energized Democrats nationwide. Newsom’s proposal to counter Texas could face legal and political hurdles, while Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul have also expressed willingness to redraw maps in their states if necessary.
The escalating dispute threatens to draw the 2026 midterms into a prolonged fight in both legislatures and the courts, testing Trump’s influence over the GOP, Democrats’ ability to block his agenda, and the balance of power between state governments and Washington.
