The Texas GOP plans to call another special legislative session to discuss redistricting measures favoring Republicans on Friday, forcing Democrats to decide whether to continue to fight the policy from afar or resolve differences in the state. 

​​Over 50 Texas Democrats left the state on Aug. 3 as the legislature considered redistricting efforts during a special legislative session called by Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX). By fleeing the state, the Democrats denied the governor a quorum in the state House to redraw the state’s congressional maps that could add as many as five new House seats favoring Republicans. 

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However, Abbott and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows promised Tuesday to adjourn the special session and call a second one on Friday if Democrats do not return to the state by then. 

The move would essentially restart the political clock, forcing dozens of Democrats who have fled to Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and California to decide whether to stay away for weeks more or come home and fight the matter out in Austin.

Abbott’s statement on Tuesday comes after he threatened last Thursday to keep calling special legislative sessions for as long as it takes to pass a new congressional map, meaning the disgruntled Democrats would have to keep out of state for years if they continued with the strategy.

“I’ll tell you this also, Democrats act like they’re not going to come back as long as this is an issue,” Abbott said. “That means they’re not going to come back until like 2027 or 2028 because I’m going to call special session after special session after special session with the same agenda items on there.”

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The state House Democrats have reportedly been planning to return to Texas on Friday if a new special session begins. They are already facing possible ejection from office for leaving the state.

“Members are still assessing their strategies going forward and are in a private meeting to make decisions about future plans currently,” the Texas Democratic Caucus told ABC13. “If and when Texas House Democrats breaking quorum decide to go home is squarely dependent on the actions the Governor, Speaker, and Texas Republicans in charge make with regard to prioritizing flood victims over redistricting that hurts Texans.”