Texas legislators early Saturday approved a new electoral map aimed at carving out five new Republican-leaning seats in the state to help the party retain control of Congress in next year's midterm elections.
The senators voted along party lines to pass the map 18-11 shortly after midnight on Saturday, following more than eight hours of debate.
Democratic Senator Carol Alvarado's plans to filibuster the map as a final protest were thwarted when Republicans used a rare procedural motion to halt debate, end the filibuster, and proceed directly to the final vote.
It now heads to the governor's office for final approval. Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, is expected to quickly sign it into law, though Democrats have vowed to challenge it in court.
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Democrats had already delayed the bill's passage during hours of debate, pressing Republican Senator Phil King, the measure’s sponsor, on the proposal's legality, with many alleging that the redrawn districts violate the Voting Rights Act by diluting voters’ influence based on race.
King vehemently denied that accusation, saying, “I had two goals in mind: That all maps would be legal and would be better for Republican congressional candidates in Texas.”
“There is extreme risk the Republican majority will be lost” in the House if the map does not pass, King said.
President Donald Trump had pressured Republican-run Texas to create the new map to help prevent Democratic opponents from taking over the House of Representatives in 2026, halfway through his term.
The cutthroat political gambit spurred California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, to launch a process for redrawing his state's map – this time creating five potentially new seats for Democrats.
"This is not something six weeks ago that I ever imagined that I’d be doing,” Newsom said. “This is a reaction to an assault on our democracy in Texas.”
'Gloves are off: Intense redistricting and partisan warfare' ahead of 2026 US Midterm Elections
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Although Newsom hopes to cancel out the Republicans' advantages gained in Texas, his plan still requires voter approval in an election this November. Unlike in Texas, a nonpartisan commission normally draws the map to avoid the sort of political battle that is playing out.
Both parties are now looking to other states where the rules might allow hasty redrawing of maps in ways that would create more seats.
More Democratic-run states have commission systems like California’s or other redistricting limits than Republican ones do, leaving the GOP with a freer hand to swiftly redraw maps. New York, for example, cannot draw new maps until 2028 – and even then, only with voter approval.
The redistricting battle adds a volatile and high-stakes new element to next year's elections.
Republicans currently control both houses of Congress and the party's legislators largely operate to carry out Trump's wishes.
Beleaguered Democrats are hoping that the unpopularity of many of Trump's policies will help spark a takeover of the lower house. If Democrats did win, they would immediately gain power to investigate Trump and his controversial government members.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)
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