An intentionally racist map aimed at stealing millions of black and Spanish-speaking Texans' votes.
The Texas Democrats' group leader Gene Wu did not mince words when he described the bill that had been put to a vote in Austin. This happened in Illinois, where he and many party colleagues moved over the weekend.
Also, the Democratic Governor of Illinois, billionaire and Trump critic JB Pritzker, was outraged.
It's not just about rigging the system in Texas, but about rigging the system against all Americans and their rights, he said at a joint press conference according to Axios.
The Republicans certainly have a majority in the chamber in Texas, but by leaving the state, the Democrats are breaking the quorum - the minimum number of members that must be present for a law to be adopted in the state parliament. The Texas Democrats claim that the new districts, which have been proposed by President Donald Trump, can give the Republicans an additional five seats in the US House of Representatives in next year's midterm elections.
It is unusual for the maps of electoral districts to be redrawn, it usually happens in connection with the censuses held every tenth year.
The vote was scheduled for Monday. The Republican Governor of Texas, Trump loyalist Greg Abott, has threatened the Democrats who left with trying to get them dismissed.
