More than 50 Texas Democratic state legislators left the state in early August 2025 as a strategic move to break quorum during a special legislative session aimed at passing a new congressional redistricting map favoring Republicans. The Texas House has 150 members, with Republicans holding 88 seats and Democrats 62. Since Republicans need a quorum of 100 to vote, the departure of over 50 Democrats denied the House the quorum required to pass the GOP-backed redistricting plan, temporarily stalling the legislative process. These Democrats fled to states like Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and California to prevent the vote. Eventually, after about two weeks, the Democrats returned to the state, ending the standoff, and the new congressional map was passed by the Texas House.