Republican lawmakers pushed the map through over fierce Democratic opposition, positioning the GOP to net up to five additional seats in Texas.

By Joseph Ax and Brad Brooks (Reuters) -Texas legislators on Wednesday took up a new state congressional map intended to flip five Democratic-held U.S. House seats in next year's midterm elections, after dozens of Democratic lawmakers ended a two-week walkout that had temporarily blocked passage.

The map’s passage was a major victory in President Trump’s push to get Republican state leaders to help his party keep control of the U.S. House.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's push to secure GOP congressional seats sparked a Democratic walkout, drew cameras from coast to coast and also gave California Gov. Gavin Newsom a new stage.

Republicans are plowing forward with plans for redistricting in several other states now that Texas is poised to approve its newly redrawn maps. The Lone Star State kicked off the redistricting arms race when Republicans in the state Legislature agreed to move forward with rewriting their congressional lines at the insistence of President Trump.