Texas Republicans set to resume push for redrawn US House maps
[August 18, 2025]
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Republicans on Monday aimed to resume
pushing through redrawn U.S. House district maps that would carve out a
bigger GOP advantage in the 2026 midterm elections after state Democrats
indicated they were ready to end a two-week walkout.
In response, California Democrats are also moving ahead with their own
reshaping of congressional districts to counteract Texas, putting in
motion a potentially widening and unusually timed redistricting battle
nationwide.
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Protestors hold up signs during the Fight The Trump Takeover Rally held
at the State Capitol, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Austin, Texas, to
protest congressional redistricting efforts by Texas Republicans and
President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Rodolfo Gonzalez) |
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The redrawing began in Texas but has been stalled since dozens
of Democrats, who are the minority in each chamber, left the
state on Aug. 3, with most of them going to Illinois. The absent
lawmakers had signaled they were ready return to Austin after
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ended a first special session and
California moved forward with its own plan.
The Texas House was scheduled to try convening a quorum again
Monday.
Abbott put redistricting on the agenda at the urging of
President Donald Trump, who wants to shore up Republicans'
narrow U.S. House majority to avoid losing control of the
chamber, and with it, prospects for Trump's conservative agenda
in the later part of his term.
It is unusual for redistricting to take place in the middle of
the decade and typically occurs once at the beginning of each
decade to coincide with the census.
Many states, including Texas, give legislators the power to draw
maps. California is among those that empower independent
commissions with the task.
The nation’s two most populous states have been at the forefront
of the resulting battle, which has reached into multiple
courtrooms and statehouses controlled by both parties.
On a national level, the partisan makeup of existing district
lines puts Democrats within three seats of a majority. Of the
435 total House seats, only several dozen districts are
competitive. So even slight changes in a few states could affect
which party wins control.
Texas' maps would aim to give the GOP five more winnable seats
there.
California Democrats, who hold supermajorities in both chambers
— enough to act without any Republican votes — on Friday
unveiled a proposal that could give Democrats there an
additional five U.S. House seats. But any changes would first
need the approval of state lawmakers and voters. Democratic
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said that his state will hold a
Nov. 4 special referendum on the redrawn districts.
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