Texas Democrats Leave State in Protest of GOP-Backed Redistricting Plan Supported by Trump

Democratic lawmakers are holding out in democrats leave Texas protest after fleeing the state to try to block a planned vote on a congressional map which would heavily favor Republicans.

The proposed Texas redistricting 2025, put forward last week by the state's majority Republicans and supported by US President Donald Trump, would create five new Republican-leaning seats in the US House of Representatives, where the Republican gerrymandering Texas have only a slim majority.

Two thirds of the 150 member state legislature must be present to allow a vote to be held. But 51 Democratic lawmakers have fled Texas, most of them to Illinois, denying Republicans the required quorum.

The session was called by the Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has himself threatened to try to remove from office any lawmakers who refuse to return to Texas for a vote.

The session in the Texas legislature is being held to pass bills to provide disaster relief after last month's deadly floods in the state. It will also pass a ban on THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, and approve of the planned Texas GOP redistricting map.

Lawmakers each face a $500 (£380) fine for every day they remain away, and the state Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, has threatened to have them arrested.

"Democrats block GOP map that try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately," he added.

But Texas Democrats, in a statement, defended the move.

"We're not walking out on our responsibilities," said state legislator and chairman of the Democratic caucus Gene Wu.

"We're walking out on a rigged system that refuses to listen to the people we represent."

The political protest Texas democrats received the support of national party figures, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries saying the group had shown "courage, conviction and character."

Democrats across the US have said they would respond with tit-for-tat tactics, but their options are limited.