Texas Republicans escalated their bid to pass a mid-decade congressional map by suing to remove a bloc of absent Democratic lawmakers who have denied the House a quorum for nearly a week. Attorney General Ken Paxton asked the Texas Supreme Court on 8 Aug. to declare 13 Democratic seats vacant, arguing the members ‘abandoned’ their offices after leaving the state to block a vote on maps expected to add five Republican U.S. House districts. The lawsuit is part of a broader pressure campaign endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, who has threatened successive special sessions until the chamber reconvenes. House Speaker Dustin Burrows has issued civil arrest warrants, suspended direct-deposit pay and warned that members refusing to appear could face $500 daily fines and loss of committee posts. Financial support for the fugitives has also come under scrutiny. On 9 Aug. Tarrant County Judge Megan Fahey granted Paxton a temporary restraining order barring Beto O’Rourke’s Powered by People PAC from paying travel, lodging or meals for the absent lawmakers. Paxton has opened a separate investigation into the Texas Majority PAC, a group backed by billionaire George Soros, for allegedly facilitating ‘bribes’ to keep the Democrats out of Austin. Former President Donald Trump, whose party holds a narrow majority in the U.S. House, publicly framed the redistricting as a chance to secure ‘five more seats’ for Republicans, highlighting the national stakes of the standoff. Democratic leaders in Illinois and California have vowed counter-moves, signalling that Texas could trigger a broader partisan battle over congressional lines ahead of the 2026 midterms.