AUSTIN, Texas (AP) \u2014 The first domino in a growing national redistricting battle is likely to fall Wednesday as the Republican-controlled Texas legislature is expected to pass a new congressional map creating five new winnable seats for the GOP.<\/p>\n
The vote follows prodding by President Donald Trump<\/a>, eager to stave off a midterm defeat that would deprive his party of control of the House of Representatives, and weeks of delays after dozens of Texas Democratic state lawmakers fled the state in protest. Some Democrats returned Monday, only to be assigned round-the-clock police escorts<\/a> to ensure their attendance at Wednesday\u2019s session. Those who refused to be monitored were confined to the House floor, where they protested on a livestream Tuesday night.<\/p>\n Furious national Democrats have vowed payback for the Texas map<\/a>, with California\u2019s legislature poised to approve new maps adding more Democratic-friendly seats later this week. The map would still need to be approved by that state\u2019s voters in November.<\/p>\n Normally, states redraw maps once a decade with new census figures. But Trump is lobbying other conservative-controlled states like Indiana and Missouri to also try to squeeze new GOP-friendly seats out of their maps as his party prepares for a difficult midterm election next year.<\/p>\n In Texas, Democrats spent the day before the vote<\/a> continuing to draw attention to the extraordinary lengths the Republicans who run the legislature were going to ensure it takes place. Democratic state Rep. Nicole Collier started it when she refused to sign what Democrats called the \u201cpermission slip\u201d needed to leave the House chamber, a half-page form allowing Department of Public Safety troopers to follow them. She spent Monday night and Tuesday on the House floor, where she set up a livestream while her Democratic colleagues outside had plainclothes officers following them to their offices and homes.<\/p>\n Dallas-area Rep. Linda Garcia said she drove three hours home from Austin with an officer following her. When she went grocery shopping, he went down every aisle with her, pretending to shop, she said. As she spoke to The Associated Press by phone, two unmarked cars with officers inside were parked outside her home.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a weird feeling,\u201d she said. \u201cThe only way to explain the entire process is: It\u2019s like I\u2019m in a movie.\u201d<\/p>\n The trooper assignments, ordered by Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows, was another escalation of a redistricting battle that has widened across the country. Trump is pushing GOP state officials<\/a> to tilt the map for the 2026 midterms more in his favor to preserve the GOP\u2019s slim House majority, and Democrats nationally have rallied<\/a> around efforts to retaliate.<\/p>\n Other Democrats join the protest<\/p>\n House Minority Leader Gene Wu, from Houston, and state Rep. Vince Perez, of El Paso, stayed overnight with Collier, who represents a minority-majority district in Fort Worth. <\/p>\n On Tuesday, more Democrats returned to the Capitol to tear up the slips they had signed and stay on the House floor, which has a lounge and restrooms for members. <\/p>\n Dallas-area Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez called their protest a \u201cslumber party for democracy,\u201d and she said Democrats were holding strategy sessions on the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are not criminals,\u201d Houston Rep. Penny Morales Shaw said.<\/p>\n Collier said having officers shadow her was an attack on her dignity and an attempt to control her movements.<\/p>\n Republican leader says Collier \u2018is well within her rights\u2019<\/p>\n Burrows brushed off Collier\u2019s protest, saying he was focused on important issues, such as providing property tax relief and responding to last month\u2019s deadly floods<\/a>. His statement Tuesday morning did not mention redistricting, and his office did not immediately respond to other Democrats joining Collier.<\/p>\n \u201cRep. Collier\u2019s choice to stay and not sign the permission slip is well within her rights under the House Rules,\u201d Burrows said. <\/p>\n Under those rules, until Wednesday\u2019s scheduled vote, the chamber\u2019s doors are locked, and no member can leave \u201cwithout the written permission of the speaker.\u201d <\/p>\n To do business Wednesday, 100 of 150 House members must be present.<\/p>\n The GOP wants 5 more seats in Texas<\/p>\n