Texas Republicans are moving closer to approving new congressional maps amid a Democratic show of protest over the GOP House speaker’s order that members who fled the state weeks earlier be placed under law enforcement watch.

Other Democratic lawmakers have joined a colleague in staying at the Texas Capitol rather than accept around-the-clock police escorts meant to prevent them from blocking a vote on a Republican plan for redrawing congressional districts.

A California legislative hearing turned into a shouting match Tuesday as a Republican lawmaker clashed with Democrats over a partisan plan to rewrite U.S. House maps to win Democrats more seats.

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.* After two weeks away, Democratic state House members in Texas are returning to Austin, ending a walkout that temporarily derailed a Republican mid-decade redistricting scheme.

Texas Republicans now face a clear path to redraw the state’s congressional maps after state House Democrats ended their 15-day walkout and returned to the Capitol on Monday. In California, meanwhile,

Democratic state legislators are rushing to meet a deadline to continue a mid-decade redistricting effort, which would then lead to a November special election. Tom Wait reports.

"Voters decided to give redistricting powers to the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission and take it away from politicians drawing their own districts. The gerrymandered maps are exactly why voters don't trust Sacramento politicians.