In an attempt to flip five Democratic seats in the 2026 midterm elections, Texas Republicans were ready to approve a contentious redistricting plan on Wednesday, as directed by President Trump.
Republicans kicked off the debate in the state House of Representatives by making it clear that their objective is to assist Trump in retaining Congress in what is turning out to be a challenging political climate, following Democrats’ unsuccessful attempt to thwart the GOP action.
Rep. Todd Hunter, a Republican from Corpus Christi, stated that the plan’s fundamental objective is to enhance Republican political performance.
The unprecedented mid-decade gerrymander attempt is completely undemocratic, Democrats retorted.
According to Democratic State Representative Chris Turner, citizens elect their representatives in democracies. That is reversed by this bill.
The package was predicted to pass the House as early as late Wednesday, despite outnumbered Democrats frantically attempting last-minute delay tactics. The Texas Senate would then give it their OK, and Gov. Greg Abbott, a close Trump ally, would sign it into law.
The Lone Star State is essentially the first round in a nationwide redistricting war that Trump launched last month in an attempt to keep Republicans in control of Congress the following year, when the incumbent president’s party is historically predicted to lose territory.
Ohio, Missouri, and Indiana are among the red states that intend to eliminate Democratic-held seats.
In response, California Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing a new Golden State congressional layout that would aid Democrats in regaining five seats. Voters would still have to accept that map in November.
To prevent Republicans from having a quorum, Democratic members in Texas left the state, an attempt that was successful in postponing the measure for roughly two weeks.
They continued to put in extra effort to draw attention to the odd strategies Republicans were employing to ram through the new map in a state where they hold almost all the power.
GOP leaders instructed Democrats to sign permission slips allowing state police escorts as soon as they arrived back to the Capitol to guarantee their attendance at the vote.
Rep. Nicole Collier (D-Fort Worth) slept in the legislature chamber on Monday after refusing to accept the sign. She was joined Tuesday night into Wednesday by seven coworkers.
As she traveled three hours home from Austin, Rep. Linda Garcia (D-Dallas) said she was followed by a state police officer. When she went grocery shopping, he followed her down every aisle and then waited outside her house in an unmarked automobile.
“It’s a strange sensation,” she stated. I feel as though I’m in a film.
