AUSTIN, Texas — Dozens of Texas Democratic lawmakers had barely left the state to stall a vote on a redrawn congressional map when Republicans started lobbing threats of steep fines, arrests, criminal investigations and even removal from office.

But there are barriers to following through on the tough talk that’s come from Gov. Greg Abbott on down, just as the Democrats’ effort may not stop Republicans from ultimately approving the map sought by President Donald Trump to shore up his party’s 2026 midterm prospects.

Legal experts and even Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton say it would be difficult to enforce consequences against the Democratic lawmakers while they are safely camped out in sympathetic Democratic-controlled states and effectively out of reach of Texas law enforce

See Full Page