Austin, Texas ? More than 50 Texas Democrats spent their second day on the lam Tuesday at a Holiday Inn in Ardmore, Okla., beyond the reach of the law for now, in a standoff with Republicans over the redrawing of the state’s congressional districts.

The House Democrats on Sunday sneaked out of Austin after spending several days discussing ways to derail the GOP redistricting plan. Three Democrats returned Tuesday to the Capitol, but Republicans still were denied a quorum needed to conduct business.

Republicans constructed signs and gimmicks ridiculing their colleagues. They plastered the Democrats’ faces on milk cartons, and Susan Weddington, chairwoman of the Republican Party of Texas, borrowing from the “most wanted Iraqi” cards, announced she had playing cards featuring the missing legislators.

Democrats blame the standoff on the GOP’s attempt to redraw the congressional districts. The plan could add five to seven GOP House seats to the 15 it already has. The state has 32 congressional districts.

States must redraw their congressional districts every 10 years to reflect population shifts found in the U.S. Census. A federal court drew Texas’ congressional districts after state lawmakers failed to reach an agreement in 2001, leaving open the possibility that the districts could be redrawn by the Texas Legislature.

Democrats argue that they are not required by the Constitution to redraw district lines, particularly in a nonredistricting year, and blamed the drive for the GOP plan on U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

In Washington, DeLay mocked the Democratic legislators. “I have never turned tail and run,” he said. “Even when I’m losing, I stand and fight for what I believe in.”

Redistricting had been scheduled for debate Monday in the House. According to House rules, the deadline to preliminarily vote on House bills is Thursday. After that, it would take a favorable vote by two-thirds of the House to get legislation to the floor for a vote.

When the Democrats didn’t show Monday, House Speaker Tom Craddick ordered Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to find the missing lawmakers, arrest them and bring them back. But Tuesday, authorities in Oklahoma greeted the Democrats with smiles and handshakes.

“We’re here to let them know we support them,” said Harvey Burkhart, sheriff of Carter County, Okla. “Nothing’s going to happen to them here. I can tell you we’re certainly not going to put them in jail.”