The Texas Senate on Tuesday approved Senate Bill 4, a mid-decade redistricting plan projected to hand Republicans five additional U.S. House seats. The measure passed 19–2 after most Democratic senators walked out but left enough members to maintain a quorum. Republican leaders say the map complies with state and federal law and is aimed at solidifying the party’s hold on Congress ahead of the 2026 midterms. Passage in the upper chamber does not end the standoff. More than 50 Democratic members of the Texas House remain in Illinois, depriving the House of the two-thirds quorum it needs to consider the bill. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has publicly welcomed the lawmakers and labelled them “heroes,” while Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed state police to detain any Democrats who return and threatened repeated special sessions until the map is enacted. The interstate dispute deepened on Wednesday when an Illinois judge declined Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request to enforce Texas arrest warrants against the absent legislators, ruling the court lacked jurisdiction. Separately, Abbott said Paxton is investigating whether financial assistance given to the Democrats to fund travel and lodging constitutes felony bribery under Texas law. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick signaled the Senate would adjourn on Friday only to reconvene immediately if the House remains paralyzed, underscoring Republicans’ determination to force a vote. Texas Democrats say they are meeting to craft an exit strategy that could include court challenges. The fight has drawn national attention: California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans for a November special election that would let his Democratic-controlled legislature redraw that state’s congressional map, vowing to “neutralize” any gains Texas secures.