Gov. Greg Abbott asked the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday to remove House Democratic Caucus chair Rep. Gene Wu of Houston. The lawsuit filed by the governor’s office comes hours after Attorney General Ken Paxton made a similar threat Tuesday afternoon.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to remove one of the state's House Democratic leaders, Rep. Gene Wu, calling him "the ringleader" of the dozens of Democratic lawmakers who left the state in an effort to block a redistricting vote.

Greg Abbott on Tuesday asked the Texas Supreme Court to remove Houston Rep. Gene Wu, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, from office, an unprecedented escalation in Republicans’ efforts to resume business in the Legislature and advance new congressional maps.