More than 50 Democratic members of the Texas House left the state on 3 Aug., travelling to Illinois and other Democratic-led states to prevent a quorum and block a vote on a Republican congressional redistricting plan. The chamber needs 100 of its 150 members present to conduct business; the absences halted the special session called by Governor Greg Abbott. The map, championed by President Donald Trump, is designed to give Republicans as many as five additional U.S. House seats, shoring up the party’s slim majority ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Republicans currently hold 25 of Texas’s 38 districts. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows secured an 85-6 vote on 4 Aug. authorizing civil arrest warrants for the absent Democrats, although the warrants are enforceable only within state lines and do not carry criminal penalties. Abbott set a 3 p.m. Central Time deadline the same day for legislators to return, threatened to declare their seats vacant, imposed a $500-per-day fine and directed the Department of Public Safety to locate, arrest and return the lawmakers. Attorney General Ken Paxton endorsed the arrest effort and warned that fundraising to pay the fines could expose Democrats to second-degree felony bribery charges. U.S. Senator John Cornyn urged the FBI to assist, and Trump said federal involvement "may have to" occur. Democratic leaders said they intend to remain out of Texas until the 30-day special session ends on 19 Aug., prolonging a standoff that could determine control of several congressional seats.