Texas Democrats who sought refuge in Illinois for two weeks to block passage of new Republican-friendly congressional maps in their state returned home Monday, in their words, “victorious.”

The departure marked the end of a nationally-watched standoff between the lawmakers and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who pushed the remap plan at President Donald Trump’s urging in a bid to add five additional Republican seats in the U.S. House.

The group had signaled they would return home if two conditions were met: the legislature canceled the first special session, and California Democratic lawmakers introduced their own congressional maps as a countermeasure to Texas’ proposed lines.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker played host to the group and celebrated their arrival here as a symbol of Democratic resis

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