redistricting

More than 50 Democratic Texas House members have been out of state for nearly two weeks in an effort to block Republican-led legislation that would redraw the state's congressional maps. On Thursday, they announced their conditions for returning to Austin.

State leaders in both parties say they're ready to redraw political lines ahead of 2026, but state laws and constitutions make mid-decade redistricting virtually impossible in many places.

House Democrats seem set on remaining out of state as long as it takes to block a new Republican-backed congressional map. What does that mean for business at the Capitol?

The Texas Senate's marathon session Tuesday wasn't without its own political drama. Early on, nine of the chamber's Democrats walked out to protest the same Republican-backed plan to redraw the state's congressional districts that prompted the House quorum break earlier this month.

It's now week two of a quorum break by more than 50 Texas House Democrats who left the state to block a new, Republican-backed congressional district map. A lot has happened so far — from court filings to threats from top Texas officials to law enforcement showing up at Democrats' homes. Here's everything you need to know.

Redistricting in Texas is turning into a showdown that has nationwide implications for the House of Representatives. The situation paints another stroke in a portrait of a president who hasn't been shy about his desire to consolidate power and shore up GOP prospects ahead of the 2026 midterms. So, what kicked this off? Last week more than 50 Democratic lawmakers fled the state to break quorum and prevent their state House vote on new redrawn congressional maps. The Democrats' revolt, threats of retaliation, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's threats have intensified the fight and sparked a national conversation. In this installment of our politics series, "If You Can Keep It," we discuss the fight over redistricting in Texas what it means for the state of our democracy. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

Legislative activity continues to stall at the Capitol after more 50 Texas House Democrats fled the state to block a Republican-backed redistricting plan.

Texas State Rep. Gene Wu, who fled the state with other Democrats to stop a GOP redistricting plan, is being targeted for removal from office by Gov. Greg Abbott. Wu says Abbott lacks that power.

Republican state lawmakers argue their proposed congressional redistricting map would create Latino opportunity districts. But state Rep. Vince Perez (D-El Paso) counters that the map is drawn to leave Latino residents with one-third the voting power of whites. For Blacks, he says it would be one-fifth.

Ten Texas Democrats as well as two Republicans – one from California and another from New York – are advocating federal legislation to restrict states to redistricting once a decade, following the U.S. Census, unless otherwise required by courts. The chances of passing such a bill in the current Congress are slim.