Texas Attorney General Paxton will ask courts to vacate Democratic lawmakers’ seats

Attorney General Ken Paxton will ask for a court ruling declaring vacant the seats of any lawmakers who are not back to work by Friday, he said in a press release Tuesday.

At least 50 House Democrats have left the state to prevent the chamber from having quorum — the minimum number of people necessary to undertake legislative business — in an effort to delay the passage of a new congressional map. The unusual mid-decade redistricting effort comes after President Donald Trump pushed for a new map aiming to net five additional GOP seats in the upcoming midterm elections.

Democrats left the state Sunday afternoon, ahead of a Monday vote to advance the bill. House Speaker Dustin Burrows signed arrest warrants...