Texas House Democrats are set to end their weeks-long standoff on Tuesday and return to Austin.
The lawmakers had left the state for Democratic strongholds such as New York and Illinois in an effort to block a special redistricting session that could have secured Republicans multiple additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to ABC 13, the Democrats say they met their objectives by disrupting the first special session and bringing national attention to the GOP-led initiative. Although the exact date of their return is still uncertain, Democrats say their top priority upon resuming work will be Hill Country flood relief.
Their announcement comes as the House once again failed to reach a quorum on Tuesday, with only 95 members present for the second day in a row. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows warned that if the impasse continues through Friday, the current session will conclude and a new one will be called.
? BREAKING — REPUBLICANS WIN: Texas House Democrats will now be RETURNING to Texas for Greg Abbott’s Special Session, where the new U.S. House Maps will be PASSED
Democrats cave AGAIN! ?
We’re about to have FIVE MORE Republicans US House seats! LFG! ? pic.twitter.com/PFyhadEVXI
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 12, 2025
According to the Texas Tribune, the Texas Senate approved the new congressional map in a 19-2 vote after nine Democratic senators walked out of the chamber. Under the plan, the districts of Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar, Greg Casar, Al Green, and Julie Johnson would be redrawn into areas that former President Donald Trump won by at least 10.4% in the 2024 election.
Republicans currently hold 219 seats in the U.S. House, compared to 212 for Democrats, with four seats vacant. On Friday, Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton petitioned a court to declare the seats of the absent House Democrats vacant, accusing them of mounting an “out-of-state rebellion.”
