Texas Democrats flee state to block Republican vote on new congressional maps, risking arrest.

Texas Democrats have left the state to prevent Republicans from voting on new congressional maps that could increase the GOP's U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterms. The Democrats' absence aims to block the required quorum for the vote, despite threats of arrest from the state's attorney general. This is the second such exodus in four years; the previous one in 2021 was to oppose new voting restrictions. The move highlights ongoing partisan conflicts over redistricting and voting rights.