Texas Representative Marc Veasey speaks in front of Democratic members of Congress and Texas House Democrats during a news conference, after they left their state to deny Republicans the quorum needed to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, at IBEW Local Union 701 on August 4, 2025 in Warrenville, Illinois. Dozens of Democrats in the Texas legislature faced threats of legal action Monday after they fled the state to block a redrawing of districts in Republicans' favor ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The Republican-controlled state, following a push by President Donald Trump, are seeking to shift congressional district borders such that five seats flip from Democratic control. The contentious but legally permitted move, known as partisan gerrymandering, seeks to prevent Republicans from losing control of the US House of Representatives in next year's midterms, when the opposition party usually does more favorably. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP) (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis. It was originally published at The 19th.

Texas Democrats fled the state over the weekend to stop a Republican proposal redrawing the state’s congressional maps. But their exit has also temporarily halted other conservative priorities for the special session — including new abortion restrictions and a “bathroom bill” that would ban transgender people from using public restrooms that match their gender.

When Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives left the state this weekend, it denied lawmakers the two-thirds quorum needed to proceed with legislative work. That move came after a House committee voted to approve the new congressional maps, a plan — crafted on President Donald Trump’s request — that would likely flip five Democratic seats to favor Republicans. The redistricting effort has set off a national arms race as Democratic governors, including in New York and California, discuss changing their states’ congressional maps heading into the 2026 midterms.

Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened state Democrats with removal from office if they don’t return to Austin. But it’s not clear if or how he could enforce that threat. Breaking quorum is not a crime, and whether those lawmakers could be forced out of their seats is a question likely to be settled in the courts.

Although the redistricting effort has taken center stage in the ongoing special legislative session, Abbott tasked lawmakers with a host of other priorities. Time may be running out: The special session began July 21, and ends after no more than 30 days. Already, some are considering the possibility of lawmakers returning to the capital for a second special session to tackle now derailed items like further abortion restrictions and the anti-trans bill.

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