The Republican-controlled Texas House of Representatives kicked off a heated debate over a new congressional map creating five new potential GOP seats that is expected to pass the chamber later Wednesday as part of a growing national redistricting battle.

Opponents of the redistricting bill staged protests inside the Capitol rotunda every two hours during the floor debate.

About 200 have gathered again to chant and cheer while lawmakers debate one floor above. Many protesters are holding signs that read “Put Texans Here” and “Fight the Trump Takeover.”

The plan is the result of prodding by President Donald Trump, eager to stave off a midterm defeat that would deprive his party of control of the House of Representatives.

Texas Democratic state lawmakers delayed the vote by leaving the state, but enough returned this week for the body to reconvene.

The GOP House speaker assigned round-the-clock police monitors to Democrats to keep them from leaving again. 

AP video shot by Lekan Oyekanmi and Jim Vertuno