The clock is running in Austin, where the Texas House chamber sits eerily quiet, abandoned by dozens of Democratic lawmakers who’ve fled the state in a bold gambit to stop a Republican redistricting plan backed by former President Donald Trump.

The ripple effects of the high-stakes showdown over the future of democracy in the Lone Star State could reshape Congress itself.

On Sunday, at least 51 Texas House Democrats boarded planes bound for Chicago, leaving the state to deny Republicans the quorum needed to push through a redistricting proposal that could flip five Democratic congressional seats to the GOP in the 2026 midterms.

The plan, unveiled last week by Texas House Republicans, would redraw maps to favor Republicans in traditionally Democratic strongholds like Dallas and Houston, potentially moving Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett out of her own district.

"This is not a decision we make lightly, but it is one we make with absolute moral clarity," said Gene Wu, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, defending the exodus.

The lawmakers plan to hold a press conference in Chicago with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, signaling a coordinated resistance. But the move comes with risks.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has threatened arrests, declaring, "[T]hey should be found and arrested no matter where they go."

Speaker of the Texas House Dustin Burrows also issued a stern warning on X: "The Texas House will be convening at 3:00pm tomorrow. If a quorum is not present then, to borrow the recent talking points from some of my Democrat colleagues, all options will be on the table."

The Republican push, supported by Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, is framed as a response to Justice Department concerns over minority-dominated districts.

Yet critics, including DNC Chair Ken Martin, call it a blatant power grab.

"For too long, Donald Trump and Republicans have tried to get away with rigging the system, breaking the rules, and scheming to hold onto power," Martin said. "The DNC is proud to support these legislators in standing up and showing real leadership. We will fight alongside them to stop this anti-democratic assault."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, speaking at a Texas news conference on Thursday, vowed a multi-front battle.

"We will fight them politically. We will fight them governmentally. We will fight them in court. We will fight them in terms of winning the hearts and minds of the people of Texas and beyond," Jeffries said. "The Texas Democrats are going to show up and stand up and speak up for what’s right for the people of Texas, and that’s showing courage and conviction and character in doing that."

The Texas fight is part of a broader national struggle over redistricting.

Democrats in blue states like California, New York, Illinois, and New Jersey are exploring their own map changes to counter GOP gains, though legal and structural hurdles abound.

In California, Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested bypassing the state’s independent redistricting commission, tweeting, "Two can play this game."

Meanwhile, Republicans in red states like Ohio, Florida, Missouri, and Indiana are eyeing mid-decade redistricting to bolster their House majority.

The battle over Texas’s maps is more than a statehouse skirmish—it’s a microcosm of a nation divided, where the lines on a map could dictate who holds power in Washington.

As Democrats hunker down in Chicago, defying threats of arrest, and Republicans double down in Austin, one thing is clear: this is a fight for control, not just of seats, but of the very rules of the game.