Dozens of Texas Democratic lawmakers had barely left the state to stall a vote on a redrawn congressional map when Republicans started lobbing threats of steep fines, arrests, criminal investigations and even removal from office.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called a special legislative session that would, if successful, shrink the number of Democrats the state sends to the U.S. House by five. That would leave Democrats with eight seats, roughly 20% of the 38 Texans there, despite Democratic nominee Kamala Harris netting more than 42% of the vote in Texas last year.