The Texas Legislature attempted to meet Monday to consider a redistricting plan that would favor Republicans, but Democratic members who left the state over the weekend did not return, denying the quorum needed to convene the session. Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to take steps to remove those lawmakers from their seats, and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said he had signed civil arrest warrants for the absent Democrats.

Republicans "can make idle threats, but as long as they are out of state, there's really nothing that they can do," said Mark Jones, a Rice University political science professor.

More than 50 Texas House Democrats left the state on Sunday, leaving the chamber short of the two-thirds quorum needed to bring a vote to the floor. Democrats are protesting the Pres

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