Republicans’ move to redraw U.S. House maps in Texas to benefit their party has set off a nationwide battle over redistricting.

Texas redistricting battle intensifies as Republicans push for five new seats and California considers emergency measures to counteract Republican gains.

Leaders in both red and blue states are considering whether to redraw their own congressional districts to gain a partisan advantage ahead of next year's midterms.

During a brief session Friday, state House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) announced the chamber did not have enough members present to conduct business.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court of Texas seeking judicial declarations that 13 Texas House seats have been vacated due to continued unlawful absences by Democrat legislators who missed the return deadline set by Speaker Dustin Burrows.

Democratic lawmakers maintained their walkout to thwart a Republican gerrymander, prompting Ken Paxton to ask the state’s Supreme Court to remove 13 of them from their seats.

Part of the investigation includes looking into whether the political group is providing funds to Democrats who have left the state to deny quorum in the House.

Texas Republicans are doing all they can to increase the pressure on Democratic legislators who left the state to stop the redistricting scheme. In one recent lawsuit, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused former Rep.