Texas Democrats in New Mexican Exile
Texas has a little problem in its state legislature. It seems the Democrats in the state senate are in Albuquerque and refuse to leave. For readers outside the US, or for those in the US whose knowledge of geography is shaky, they are in the state of New Mexico and cannot be compelled to return. The result is that no business can be done because there is no quorum. State Republicans are outraged that elected officials are declining to turn up and vote, but charges that the Dems are not doing their jobs is just wrong -- by not turning up, they are doing what they were elected to do.
Leaving aside the paradox of "less-gummint" Republicans calling for the legislature to do something, the Democrats are not happy about the way the GOP has decided to redistrict the state. Texas sends 32 people to the House of Representatives, so any change could be important. And as any gerrymandering politician can explain, how boundaries are drawn can determine who gets elected.
Democrats by definition don't want more Republicans elected to Congress. By permitting the GOP-controlled Texas legislature to vote on the current plan, and the current Republican governor signing it, the Dems would be acting against the interest of the people who elected them. Since there is nothing illegal about avoiding the state legislature, and since any writ to force them to do so can't be enforced outside Texas, they have created a winning strategy.
The Republicans are going to have to compromise, which majority parties hate to do. But they have no choice. On the other hand, they do have memories. Expect one of two things to happen in the future in Texas: either a change in the quorum rules or Republicans some day holding Democratic interests hostage in the same way. Frankly, one can not see what the problem is -- just because the rules are flawed should not prevent the game from being played by them.