Texas Governor Greg Abbott called a second special legislative session on Friday, hiking pressure on Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to stymie Republican plans to redraw political maps at the behest of U.

Thousands assembled around the country to demonstrate against a Republican effort to redraw congressional maps in their favor for 2026.

Texas Republicans tried again to reconvene the House on Monday for a vote on redrawing congressional maps in their party's favor, an effort that already sparked a national political brawl and prompted Democratic lawmakers to leave the state to deny Republicans the quorum they need.

A group of Texas Democrats traveled to California and Illinois for meetings with governors who have criticized Republicans’ plans to redraw the Texas congressional map.