Texas Dems End Exile, Declare Victory

ABC News -- 51 Texas Democrats departed late Thursday from the Holiday Inn in Ardmore, Okla., 30 miles north of the state line, just before the redistricting bill died in Austin. A midnight deadline passed with no vote due to a lack of House quorum caused by the absent lawmakers.

"It feels great. I feel great about the fact that redistricting is dead and I'm ready to go back to work and get past this partisanship," Rep. Patrick Rose said.

"It is 11:16 [PM] and we are in the state of Texas." Rep. Pete Gallego announced to cheers.

The lawmakers were expected to arrive in Austin around 4 a.m. and planned to return to the Capitol for a 7 a.m. rally with supporters.

The federal Department of Homeland Security said it had been drawn into the four-day standoff when a Texas law officer indicated that a plane carrying Democrats might have crashed.

The call to Homeland Security was placed Monday, when Texas Republicans were desperately seeking Democrats' whereabouts.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan refused to say whether he believes it would be appropriate for Homeland Security to be used to round up Texas Democrats.