Democratic lawmakers in Texas said on Sunday they were leaving the state to deny Republicans the quorum needed to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, a move Republicans are seeking to protect their narrow U.

Democrats in the Texas state House fled the state Sunday afternoon in an attempt to thwart plans by President Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott to redraw the state’s congressional districts to add five new Republican seats.

Texas Democrats have fled the state in an effort to keep Republicans from approving a new U.S. House map that could boost their slim congressional majority next year.