After leaving Texas for Illinois to prevent a legislative vote on a Republican redistricting plan, state House Democratic leader Gene Wu needed a means to project his voice — and viewpoints — to a national audience. So he tapped his campaign account to buy a microphone for news conferences.

Texas Democrats continue to camp out in different states across the country seeking to block voting back home on new congressional maps that would give Republicans more winnable seats.

The political and legal threats against Democrats who left Texas to protest a redrawn political map have gone further and faster than many anticipated.