Texas House Democrats who have left the state to block a vote on redistricting were hosted by California leaders on Friday. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and other prominent California Democratic leaders spoke at a press event along with the Texas lawmakers.

Texas’ redistricting standoff rose to a new level Friday as Democrats once again denied a quorum to allow the House to consider the GOP-led plan and Republicans responded by threatening more punitive action.

Texas Democrats again defied Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and the state GOP and did not show up Friday for a vote on a controversial redistricting plan proposed by Republicans. The GOP-proposed new congressional maps that would give Republicans more seats in Congress -- potentially allowing the GOP to keep control of the U.

California's governor said on Friday he will ask voters to approve a ballot measure in November redrawing the state's congressional map in a way likely to create five more Democratic seats, escalating a redistricting war with the Republican-led state of Texas and President Donald Trump.

Texas Republicans are planning to escalate their efforts to end a weeklong holdout by Democrats if they don’t return to the state Capitol to face a vote on new congressional voting maps

Texas House Democrats, who fled the state to block a GOP-led redistricting plan, are now heading to California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to host them. Meanwhile, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows has filed a lawsuit in Illinois to enforce arrest warrants against the lawmakers.

The political standoff at the Texas Capitol intensified Friday as Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit seeking to remove 13 Democratic state representatives from office over their continued absence from the House floor.

Democrats who left the state have shown no signs of buckling for now: A group was scheduled to appear later Friday with California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a public show of support for the walkout.

"These cowards deliberately sabotaged the constitutional process and violated the oath they swore to uphold," Paxton said in a statement.