Texas Democrats made good on a threat they’d been mulling since redistricting showed up on Gov. Greg Abbott’s special session agenda last month: Lawmakers fled the state Sunday to avoid voting on a proposed map that they say is an illegal and discriminatory power grab for GOP congressional seats.

Watching closely, and, in some cases, participating in the fight over district boundary lines, are many of the almost two dozen candidates seeking to fill a vacant U.S. Congressional seat with a primary set in November.

House Republicans proposed a map July 30 that aims to pick up five Republican Congressional seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The map was approved 12-6 along party lines at the committee level on Saturday.

Redistricting committee chair Rep. Cody Vasut, R-Angleton,

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