Some of the Texas Democrats who left the state in protest of a redistricting bill were temporarily evacuated Wednesday from their Chicago-area hotel after a bomb threat, according to police and lawmakers.

Texas Democrats staying in Illinois were evacuated from their hotel on Wednesday morning over a potential bomb threat, authorities said.

Both Texas Republicans and Democrats are ratcheting up their rhetoric over proposed US House maps that could give the GOP five more seats. But the action in Austin is stalled for now.

The redistricting battle in Texas continues to escalate as Republican Gov. Greg Abbott urged the state Supreme Court to remove state Rep. Gene Wu, the chairman of the Texas House Democratic caucus. Abbott argued that Wu has "forfeited" his office by fleeing the state along with other Democratic lawmakers to prevent the quorum necessary for Texas House to vote on enacting the new GOP-proposed congressional map -- with Republican control of the U.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told Newsmax on Tuesday that Democrat lawmakers fleeing the state to delay a vote on redistricting congressional districts are acting in "a very un-Texan fashion." "It's outrageous,