Harris met with Texas Democrats who fled state over GOP-backed voting law

Vice President Kamala Harris met with Texas Democratic state lawmakers on Tuesday after the group fled the state to block Republican-backed election law reform bills during a special session of the state's legislature.

"I know what you have done comes with great sacrifice, both personal and political," Harris said to Texas Democrats in a closed meeting Tuesday, according to USA Today. "You are doing this in support and defense of some of our nation's highest ideals."

The group of 67 state Democratic lawmakers fled Texas Monday to block the legislature from reaching the two-thirds attendance level required to conduct business. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott called for a special session of the Texas legislature, which started last week, after Democrats staged a similar walkout in May.

Harris reportedly received a round of applause from the Texas lawmakers when she entered the room. She met with them at the American Federation of Teachers building near the Capitol building.

"Defending the right to vote is as American as apple pie," Harris added.

The Democrats left the state to stop the vote on GOP-backed election reform bills, which would add new identification requirements for absentee and mail-in-voting, ban some early voting, and create new criminal penalties for breaking certain election codes.