Late Friday, the Texas state Senate, controlled by Republicans, successfully approved a new congressional map. This marks the end of a challenging legislative journey that faced significant Democratic opposition and ignited a broader conversation around redistricting across the country.
This vote paves the way for the new maps—crafted to bolster the Republican dominance in the U.S. Congress—to become effective once Governor Greg Abbott, a supporter of this plan and backed by former President Donald Trump, gives his signature.
Trump has been vocal about his demand for Texas to update its congressional map, insisting the party deserves to gain five additional seats. The alterations aim to create 30 congressional districts, particularly in major urban areas and along the border, that went in Trump’s favor by a significant margin in the previous elections.
Currently, Republicans hold 25 out of 38 congressional districts in Texas.
From the outset, GOP leaders have made it clear that the motive behind this redistricting was strictly political, aimed at enhancing their influence in Washington, where the balance in the House is nearly split. For Democrats, the situation is critical as they only need to secure three additional seats in the 2026 elections to regain control.
Democratic lawmakers argue that the Republicans’ decision to redraw the districts before the traditional timeline of 2031 sets a perilous precedent. They also claim these new maps may negatively impact the representation of minority communities, a point the Republicans have disputed.
Interestingly, unlike in the state House, where recent Democratic walkouts stalled progress, the Senate was able to move forward without similar disruptions. Governor Abbott is expected to sign these maps into law shortly.
As attention turns towards California, Democratic officials are proposing their own congressional map changes in response to Texas’ actions. However, unlike Texas, California’s proposal requires voter approval in a special election later this fall to be enacted.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com.
