High-stakes redistricting battles unfold in Texas and California as Republicans and Democrats push new congressional maps ahead of 2026 midterm elections.

Texas Democrats were expected to return to Texas and end their two-week walkout Monday, paving the way for Republicans to pass a redrawn congressional map.

The Texas Senate could move the GOP’s redistricting plan forward in the next few days after the redistricting panel advanced the map on Sunday afternoon.

A second special session that has made approving the map a priority started Friday, as soon as the first one ended.

The Texas House could have a quorum today as the second special session continues. House Democrats acknowledge they don't have the votes in redistricting.

Texas Democrats in Chicago have declared victory after a two-week battle to prevent Republicans from redrawing districting maps, sparking national momentum for other states to do the same.

“Our proposed map was created using traditional redistricting criteria, consistent with guidelines laid out by the California’s Citizen Redistricting Commission,” according to a cover letter from Julie Merz of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee included with the map.

The Texas Legislature began a new special legislative session Friday after Gov. Greg Abbott called lawmakers back to deal with congressional redistricting and a host of other issues — laying down a new gauntlet for Democrats who fled the state nearly two weeks ago to halt a vote on a new district map.