AUSTIN -- A senior Republican state senator joined Democrats on Monday to oppose drawing any new congressional district maps.
The move seriously imperils the special session called by Gov. Rick Perry for that purpose -- to increase the state's number of GOP seats.
"I don't believe that even a good product of this process justifies the pain, the blood, the sweat, the tears that are going to be necessary in the Senate to get there," Sen. Bill Ratliff, R-Mount Pleasant, said.
It takes 11 senators to block legislation from floor debate, and Ratliff's opposition to any redistricting bill makes him the 11th "no" vote.
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