After a two-week political standoff, dozens of Texas Democrats have returned to Austin, ending a dramatic walkout aimed at halting Republican-led redistricting efforts. Their absence had stalled legislative proceedings, but with quorum now restored, the Texas House is poised to vote on a new congressional map that could shift five districts from Democratic to Republican control ahead of the 2026 elections.

Governor Greg Abbott reconvened the legislature this week, placing redistricting at the top of the agenda. Civil arrest warrants remain active for lawmakers who fled the state earlier in August, though tensions have cooled as procedural steps move forward to bring the proposed maps back to the House floor.

Meanwhile, in a political counterbalance, California Democrats are advancing their own redistricting proposal—one designed to send five additional Democrats to Washington, potentially offsetting Republican gains in Texas.

Redistricting typically follows the census every ten years, but Texas last redrew its map in 2021. This mid-decade revision could reshape the state’s political landscape and influence national outcomes in the next election cycle.