AUSTIN, Texas — Sen. John Cornyn is asking the FBI to help find Texas House Democratic lawmakers who left the state and officially denied quorum in the Texas House of Representatives to delay a vote on Republicans' efforts to approve new congressional maps .

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also said in a statement that he plans to seek judicial orders declaring the absent lawmakers' seats vacant if they don't return to Texas by Friday.

Cornyn, who's running for re-election and seeking to fend off a challenge from Paxton , in a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, asked for federal resources to help state law enforcement find the absent lawmakers.

"Since these state legislators are currently outside of Texas, the Texas Department of Public Safety may need support to arrest the fle

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