Democratic lawmakers who fled their state to stymie Republican plans to redraw political maps at the behest of President Donald Trump announced on Monday they were "returning to Texas on our terms," as the battle lines harden 15 months before the U.

The move will allow Republicans to move forward with their plan to redraw Texas' congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Texas Democratic lawmakers left two weeks ago to block a GOP plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts. They said they were returning now that California Democrats are adopting a counterproposal.

Texas Democrats are back in Austin after they broke quorum two weeks ago in protest of the state's redistricting plan. State Representative Nicole Collier refused to leave the House chambers on Monday.

"It's imperative at this moment to use every tool that we have to fight back," Isaiah Martin, a candidate running in Texas's 18th congressional district.

Dozens of Democrats are returning to Texas, ending a two-week impasse with Texas Republicans over efforts to redistrict the state.

Democrats have proposed a new congressional map for California that could offset Republican efforts to redistrict in Texas, giving the party a chance at five new Democratic House seats in the Golden State.