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 Amarillo businessman said he would tap into the $20 million political action committee he launched last year to preserve ballot access for censured Republicans.

In the Texas legislature, the first special session ended abruptly Friday after Democrats in the House refused to come back and allow a vote on redrawn congressional maps.

Texas Democrats in Chicago have declared victory after a two-week battle to prevent Republicans from redrawing districting maps, sparking national momentum for other states to do the same.

After leaving the state to block the G.O.P. from redrawing the state’s congressional maps, Democratic lawmakers are keeping the pressure on from afar.

New laws are due to take effect in Texas on September 1 on subjects including abortion, property tax and Christianity in public schools.

Honestly, the Democratic Party does not occupy the moral high ground in this fight and should quit whining about unfair Republican gerrymandering.