Texas Democratic lawmakers returned to the state Monday after a two-week walkout that temporarily blocked Republicans from passing a redistricting plan designed to increase GOP seats in the U.S. House. Their absence stalled the special legislative session, sparking a national political standoff between parties over control and fair representation.

Democrats hailed their efforts as a victory, successfully preventing the passage of the new congressional map during the first session. California Democrats responded with their own counterproposal to challenge Texas Republicans’ plan. However, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has called a second special session, and with most Democrats back, the Republican-controlled legislature is now poised to advance the redistricting map.

Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu praised the Democrats’ resilience, noting that their walkout exposed what they called corrupt tactics and helped galvanize national support. He said their return would help build a legal case to defeat the proposed map in court and spread awareness of the fight against what they describe as “racist” gerrymandering efforts.

Despite Democratic complaints, critics point out that blue states like California and New York have long gerrymandered their own congressional districts, limiting Republican representation despite significant GOP voter bases. This highlights the broader national debate over partisan redistricting on both sides of the aisle.

During their absence, Texas Democrats faced fines of $500 per day and security threats. Republicans criticized the walkout as abandoning responsibilities, especially when urgent issues like flooding near San Antonio demanded legislative attention. They also issued symbolic arrest warrants and sought court orders to remove absent Democrats.

The walkout began on August 3, one day before the session, denying the House quorum. Democrats returned only after California unveiled a counterplan, though its implementation faces hurdles due to the state’s independent redistricting commission and voter opposition to bypassing it.