Texas House Democrats announced on Monday that they are returning to Austin after a two-week walkout. This move ends a standoff with Republicans over proposed congressional maps. The Democrats' return may enable Republicans to advance changes that could potentially add five new House seats for the GOP in the upcoming elections.

While the Democrats did not specify their plans for action on the House floor, they indicated intentions to build a "legal case against the discriminatory map." The proposed maps are expected to face legal challenges if they pass through the legislature.

"We killed the corrupt special session, withstood unprecedented surveillance and intimidation, and rallied Democrats nationwide to join this existential fight for fair representation — reshaping the entire 2026 landscape," said Gene Wu, chair of the Democratic Caucus in the Texas House. He added, "We're returning to Texas more dangerous to Republicans' plans than when we left."

The Texas state legislature began a second special session on Friday but failed to achieve a quorum. Republican legislators are now expected to attempt to establish a quorum on Monday and move forward with the proposed congressional maps. These maps will need to pass through the House's redistricting committee and undergo procedural votes.

In a related development, California Democrats are also working on redistricting efforts. Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced plans to present new congressional maps to voters in November as a counter to Texas's redistricting. The California legislature is set to reconvene on Monday to expedite legislation aimed at placing these maps on the ballot.

This back-and-forth between Texas and California highlights a growing partisan conflict over congressional control ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas Democrats had previously left the state to deny Republicans the necessary attendance for voting on the redrawn maps, which were seen as a means to bolster Republican representation in Washington.

The partisan struggle is intensified by President Donald Trump's push for redistricting in Republican-led states. Meanwhile, Democratic governors in various states have indicated they may follow California's lead in response to these efforts.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has linked redistricting to other legislative priorities, including flood relief measures, which have faced delays attributed to the absence of Democratic lawmakers. Democrats argue that Abbott's alignment with Trump on redistricting has complicated the legislative process.

Redistricting typically occurs once every decade following the census, with many states, including Texas, allowing legislators to draw the maps. In contrast, California employs independent commissions for this task. The Texas House is scheduled to convene at noon CDT on Monday.