Texas elections

A second special session that has made approving the map a priority started Friday, shortly after the first one ended.

It's been more than a week since Democrats fled the state to block a Republican-backed redistricting map.

Paxton sued O'Rourke and his political group, Powered by People, last week, arguing that the group was deceptively fundraising for and illegally supporting Texas Democrats' walkout.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is calling on the "full faith and credit" clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says states should typically honor each other's judicial proceedings.

The Texas Supreme Court said in 2021 the Constitution allows members to thwart legislation by leaving the state. Abbott wants them to reconsider.

More than 50 Texas House Democrats left the state to stall a Republican-backed redistricting plan, effectively shutting down legislative business at the state Capitol.

The new proposed lines would also prevent few, if any, opportunities for Democrats hoping that an aggressive gerrymander could backfire on Republicans.

The move effectively brings the state House of Representatives to a standstill and prevents any consideration by the full chamber of HB 4, which would dramatically redraw Texas' congressional maps.

Democratic lawmakers and advocates rallied outside the Texas Capitol Thursday, just before the state legislature kicked the first in a series of hearings on a rare mid-decade push from top Republicans to redraw Texas' congressional district maps.

Texas officials praise the revamped immigration database, but some critics are raising concerns about data privacy and accuracy.