President Donald Trump is urging the Texas state legislature to move quickly to pass a controversial redistricting bill that would favor Republicans, saying, "Please pass this Map, ASAP." (Sergio Flores/Getty Images and AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
"It is wonderful to see Republicans everywhere standing up to Save our Country. It is one of the most popular initiatives I have ever supported," he went on, adding, "Republicans love watching us fight for a Great Cause. Please pass this Map, ASAP. THANK YOU TEXAS — MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
This comes after a two-week-long standoff between Texas Republican leaders and dozens of members of the Texas House Democratic Caucus who fled the state in efforts to deny the legislature the quorum necessary to pass a Trump-backed redistricting bill, which would potentially give the GOP five additional congressional seats. After the Democrats fled, Abbott and other leaders vowed not to back down and threatened to remove them from office and have them arrested.
For their part, the AWOL Democrats pledged not to return until another Democratic state moved to "nullify" Texas’ new Republican seats. The Democrats also vowed they would not return to Texas until the special legislative session, which the governor had called to pass the redistricting bill, as well as other priorities, had ended.
OBAMA PRAISES DEMOCRATS WHO FLED TEXAS REDISTRICTING VOTE AS ‘INSPIRING’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vowed to "meet fire with fire" in response to Trump’s support for the Texas redistricting effort. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
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During a press conference announcing the Democratic redistricting push, Newsom vowed to "meet fire with fire" in response to Trump’s support for the Texas redistricting effort.
Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser and Alex Miller contributed to this report.
Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-dems-back-trump-urges-legislature-pass-map-asap