Texas Democrats are hiding out in the Chicago area, skipping Monday's statehouse session on redistricting the Lone Star State's congressional map. Why it matters: The fight over fair elections has landed on Illinois' doorstep.

Gov. JB Pritzker attempted to tamp down the federal law enforcement involvement, describing it as “a lot of grandstanding.”

Gov. JB Pritzker in Springfield on Aug. 6 called the Texas House Democrats who fled the state for Illinois to thwart a Republican quorum to vote on a controversial congressional redistricting plan "heroes (who) are standing up for democracy."

Gov. Pritzker welcomed a group of Texas Democrats to Illinois after they fled their home state to stop a Republican redistricting effort. Find out more.

It's unclear what role federal agents can play in the matter, and there were no reports of FBI activity in the area housing Texas Democrats as of Thursday morning.

On the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Texas Democrats, along with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and the Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, met Tuesday to continue the fight against a redistricting plan to add five seats favoring Republicans.

Gov. JB Pritzker vowed on late-night television to protect Texas House Democrats who fled to Illinois to try and stop the Republican-controlled state legislature from redrawing congressional district boundaries to the GOP’s advantage ahead of next year’s midterm election.

So far, Pritzker’s political instincts are paying off. Democratic players, including the Texas Democrats and former Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison heaped praise on the governor, a sentiment echoed by dozens of the Lone Star State’s state Democratic lawmakers and left-leaning political influencers.

Just three of 17 Illinois congressional districts are represented by Republicans in a state where Trump won 44% of the 2024 vote.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told Texas Democratic lawmakers who left their state to prevent quorum at a special legislative session to approve a redistricting map expected to flip 5 U.S. House seats from Democrat to Republican that they are welcome to stay here as long as they want.