Republican lawmakers are pursuing the unusual mid-decade redistricting plan amid pressure from President Donald Trump to protect the GOP’s slim majority in the U.S. House.

House Bill 4 advances to the Senate after Democrats return from a quorum-breaking walkout. Republicans aim to reshape the Texas congressional maps.

Two more candidates have announced their campaign for Texas House of Representatives District 71. Taylor County rancher Liz Case and former Abilene city councilmember and businessman Jay Hardaway went public with their campaigns Friday morning,

The new map could secure the GOP five additional seats in Congress in next year's midterms. Democrats say they now plan to challenge the map in court.

The Texas Senate is debating the controversial GOP redistricting bill that triggered a weeks-long House standoff.The Republican-backed proposal, which passed the House in an 88-52 party-line vote on Wednesday,

House Speaker Dustin Burrows said Monday that Democrats who previously left the state could not leave the chamber unless they agreed to having a DPS escort. Collier refused one and must remain in the chamber.

Texas Republicans mandated that Democratic lawmakers not be allowed to leave the state house without a permission slip and a police escort.

Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives returned to Austin on Aug. 18, 2025, but their protest of redistricting efforts continues.