More pressure on Texas Democrats as GOP moves to end holdout

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Texas Republicans have again authorized using law enforcement Democrats who are still refusing to come back to the state Capitol in a bid to stop new voting restrictions.

But unlike a month ago, when missing Democrats were out of state and beyond the reach of Texas officers, some are now holding out from home.

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan said Tuesday that Democrats could be compelled to return under “warrant of arrest if necessary,” though the stalemate is a civil and not criminal matter.

How soon or even whether law enforcement would seek out Democrats wasn’t immediately clear.

But it was one of a few setbacks for Democrats that put their protest over a GOP elections overhaul on unsteady ground.