Texas Democrats fled the state to oppose GOP redistricting

 

• Republicans in Texas want to push through a rare mid-decade plan to redraw congressional district maps.
• The push would turn five districts into more Republican-friendly seats, giving the GOP an edge in next year's midterm elections.
• To block the move, Democrats have fled to Illinois and other states, preventing the legislature from having enough lawmakers present to conduct business.
• But a small number of Democrats have stayed behind to fight against the plan in Austin.

AUSTIN – State Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, a South Texas Democrat, has spent the past week prowling near-empty halls in the Texas state Capitol, talking to any Republican lawmaker who would listen and trying to avert a U.S. Supreme Court showdown. 

On the nearby House floor, Republican lawmakers maneuvered to try to launch a rare mid-decade redistricting effort. They’ve drawn up a new map of U.S. House districts that could give the GOP five more seats and help the party maintain control of the narrowly-divided chamber.