State Rep. Briscoe Cain kicked off what operatives expect to be a flurry of campaign announcements with a bid for Houston’s 9th Congressional District.

After protests, a two-week quorum break and out-of-state pressure, the Texas House passed a new map for the state's congressional districts on Wednesday. The bill now proceeds to the Texas Senate, which is weighing a slightly different redistricting map.

The gambit has triggered a national redistricting war, as governors from both major parties threaten to initiate similar efforts in other states.