Texas Senate approves Republican-drawn redistricting maps in 19-2 vote as nine Democrats walk out in protest while House Democrats remain out of state.

Texas Republicans tried again to reconvene the House on Monday for a vote on redrawing congressional maps in their party's favor, an effort that already sparked a national political brawl and prompted Democratic lawmakers to leave the state to deny Republicans the quorum they need.

The Texas Senate passed a GOP-friendly House map on Tuesday, putting it a step closer to final passage in the state Legislature. The upper chamber voted 19-2 to pass a new set of congressional lines that would give Republicans five pickup opportunities in the U.