A Texas Democrat slept in the House chamber overnight after rejecting an around-the-clock police escort tasked with ensuring she showed up to work.
Democrats in the sunshine state have ended a two-week walkout intended to stall efforts to redraw congressional districts in Donald Trump’s favour.
Republicans in the Texas House forced the returning Democrats to sign what have been described as “permission slips,” agreeing to around-the-clock surveillance by state department of public safety officers to ensure they do not flee the state again.
However, Nicole Collier, of Fort Worth, refused to sign the waiver and remained on the House floor on Monday night.
Ms Collier, who represents a minority-majority district, said she would not “sign away my dignity” and allow Republicans to “control my movements and monitor me”.
“I know these maps will harm my constituents,” she said in a statement. “I won’t just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination.”
In a photo shared on social media, Ms Collier is seen reclining on a leather chair in the chamber, with a blanket draped over her body, wearing an eye mask and a hair bonnet.
The Democrats’ return to Texas puts the Republican-run legislature in position to satisfy Mr Trump’s demands, possibly later this week.
Politicians had officers posted outside their Capitol offices, and Representative Mihaela Plesa said one tailed her on her Monday evening drive back to her apartment in Austin after spending much of the day on a couch in her office. She said he went with her for a staff lunch and even down the hallway with her for restroom breaks.
“We were kind of laughing about it, to be honest, but this is really serious stuff,” Ms Plesa said
“This is a waste of taxpayer dollars and really performative theatre.”
California and Texas are the centre of an expanding fight over control of Congress ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The battle has rallied Democrats nationally following infighting and frustrations among the party’s voters since Republicans took total control of the federal government in January.
Dozens of Texas Democratic politicians left for Illinois and elsewhere on Aug 3, denying their Republican colleagues the attendance necessary to vote on redrawn maps intended to send five more Texas Republicans to Washington. Republicans now hold 25 of Texas’ 38 US House seats.
They declared victory on Friday, pointing to California’s proposal intended to increase Democrats’ US House advantage by five seats. Many absent Democrats left Chicago early on Monday and landed hours later at a private airfield in Austin, where several boarded a charter bus to the Capitol. Cheering supporters greeted them inside.
Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows did not mention redistricting on the floor but promised swift action on the legislature’s agenda.
Democrats acknowledged Republicans can now approve redrawn districts. Gene Wu, the Texas House minority leader, said Democrats would challenge the new designs in court.
Politicians did not take up any bills and were not scheduled to return until Wednesday.
Mr Trump has pressured other Republican-run states to consider redistricting, as well, while Democratic governors in multiple statehouses have indicated they would follow California’s lead in response. Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom has said his state will hold a Nov 4 special referendum on the redrawn districts.
The president wants to shore up Republicans’ narrow House majority and avoid a repeat of the midterms during his first presidency. After gaining House control in 2018, Democrats used their majority to stymie his agenda and twice impeach him.
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