The Texas House of Representatives gave final passage on Wednesday to House Bill 4, a controversial Republican-backed proposal to redraw the state's congressional maps and potentially add up to five new GOP-leaning districts.

The court said the petitioners “failed to meet their burden of establishing a basis for relief at this time” under the state’s constitution.

The former president lent his support to Gov. Gavin Newsom's retaliatory redistricting plan shortly before Republicans in Texas passed their bill to redraw congressional lines.

The California Supreme Court cleared the way for Democrats to move forward with a plan to redraw congressional districts Thursday.

Conservative opponents dominated the public comment at legislative hearings on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s congressional redistricting plan, though most were at the Capitol for an unrelated rally.

Former President Barack Obama has waded into states’ efforts at rare mid-decade redistricting efforts, saying he agrees with California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s response to alter his state’s congressional maps, in the way of Texas redistricting efforts promoted by President Donald Trump aimed at shoring up Republicans’ position in next year’s elections.

Democratic leaders say they will return for a second special legislative session after seeing California Democratic leaders proceed with plans to redraw their own US House maps to neutralize Republican gains in Texas.

California voters backed independent redistricting for congressional seats and giving it up to counter President Trump creates a moral conflict even for Democrats.

California Democrats' ability to do so may hinge on the outcome of a ballot measure Newsom announced last week that would allow a new map drafted by legislators to temporarily replace the boundaries drawn up by the state's independent redistricting committee following the 2020 census.