Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott filed a lawsuit to remove the chairman of the Caucus Texas House Democrat Gene Wu, amid a dispute between Texas Democrats and Republicans over redistricting on electoral maps.

"What's at stake? Nothing less than the future of Texas." If a small fraction of recalcitrant lawmakers decides to run out the clock today, they can do so in any regular or special session, potentially bankrupting the state in an attempt to get their way, Abbott™s lawsuit filed with the Texas Supreme Court reads.

Gov. Abbott filed the emergency petition with the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday to remove State Rep. Gene Wu after he and other Democrats left the state to delay Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts.

Abbott™s lawsuit argues that Wu, the chairman of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, violated the state Constitution and that his absence amounted to abandoning office.

With their absence, Democratic lawmakers have denied Republicans the legislative quorum needed to move forward with plans to redraw congressional boundaries and give the GOP five more House seats.

The lawsuit argues that quorum provisions make attendance at the state House an “affirmative constitutional obligation.”

“Representative Wu has openly waived these constitutional mandates by fleeing the State of Texas to break the quorum, obstruct legislative proceedings, and paralyze the Texas House of Representatives,” the lawsuit states.

Wu declared Tuesday night that he was not abandoning his duties.

“Let me be unequivocal about my actions and my duty.“When a governor conspires with a disgraced president to ram through a racially gerrymandered electoral map, it is my constitutional duty to willingly not participate,” Wu said. “Denying the Governor a quorum was not a dereliction of my office; it was the fulfillment of my oath of office. Unable to substantiate his corrupt agenda, Greg Abbott now desperately seeks to silence my dissent by removing a duly elected official.” Wu said on social media Sunday from Illinois that she was “in Chicago? fighting for the rights of Texans and all Americans.” Texas House Democrats said in a statement posted on X: “History will judge this moment. It will show a governor who used the law as a weapon to silence his people, and it will show those of us who stood for a higher principle. We swore allegiance to the Constitution, not some politician's agenda." Former President Barack Obama weighed in Tuesday on the standoff that has drawn national attention, calling the Republicans' actions "a power grab that undermines our democracy" in a post on X. Asked whether the FBI and the federal government should be involved in locating and arresting the lawmakers, President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday that "they may have to." "A lot of people have demanded that they come back. They can't just stand idly by. They have to come back. They have to fight. "That's what elections are about," Trump said.

Trump has supported redrawing district lines, telling CNBC Tuesday morning that Republicans were "entitled" to additional seats in Texas.