Texas House Democrats, who fled the state to block a vote on redrawn congressional maps, said Thursday that they will return under two specific conditions. 

The Texas House Democratic Caucus announced lawmakers will rejoin the Legislature and help form a quorum if the session adjourns sine die on Friday, as promised by House Speaker Dustin Burrows, and if California introduces redistricting maps that would "neutralize the Trump-Abbott voter suppression effort."

California new congressional map as part of strategy

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced a special election for voters to approve a new congressional map aimed at countering Texas' redistricting. He described the situation as a "five-alarm fire for Democracy."

Democrats say the proposed California map would help neutralize what they call voter suppression efforts led by President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. 

Trump urged Texas lawmakers to pursue mid-decade redistricting — an uncommon move nationally.

The map is part of a broader Democratic strategy to challenge the GOP's redistricting plan, which they argue unfairly targets minority voters and could give Republicans five additional seats in Congress.

Texas Democrats cite national mobilization

"Texas House Democrats broke quorum and successfully mobilized the nation against Trump's assault on minority voting rights," said THDC Chair Gene Wu. 

Wu added that despite facing threats of arrest, legal action, financial penalties, bomb threats, and harassment, Democratic lawmakers remain committed to fighting what they describe as a "Jim Crow congressional district map."

"Now, as Democrats across the nation join our fight to cause these maps to fail their political purpose, we're prepared to bring this battle back to Texas under the right conditions and to take this fight to the courts," Wu said.

Texas House Democrats said legal counsel advised them to return to the state to build a legislative record for a potential court challenge to the GOP's proposed redistricting map.

Texas special session may end Friday

The Texas House has not reached quorum since Aug. 3, when 62 Democrats left the state for cities including Chicago, New York, and Boston.

Republican leaders said that if a quorum is not reached by 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 15, both the House and Senate will adjourn the special session. This would mark the sixth failed attempt to reach quorum since the Democratic walkout began. 

Gov. Abbott filed an emergency petition with the Texas Supreme Court seeking to remove Wu from office, citing abandonment of duty due to the quorum break.

The governor has vowed to continue calling special sessions until the redistricting vote is held.

CBS News Texas will provide updates as more information becomes available.