The Texas Senate has given final approval to a new congressional voting map that favours Republicans, sending it to Governor Greg Abbott for his signature. The map passed with an 18-11 vote along party lines after more than eight hours of heated debate.
This development is part of a broader redistricting battle sparked by President Donald Trump’s demand for new district maps in Republican-led states to maintain the GOP’s slim majority in Congress in the 2026 midterm elections.
The new map would create five additional districts that would likely favour Republicans, the map ultimately passed in the House of Representatives last week. Governor Abbott, a Republican, is expected to quickly sign the map into law despite Democrats’ vows to challenge it in court.
The effort by Trump and Texas’s Republican-majority legislature prompted state Democrats to hold a two-week walkout, which failed to block the passage of the map.
This standoff has also inflamed a broader, state-by-state redistricting battle, with governors from both parties pledging to redraw congressional maps.
California Democrats have responded by approving legislation calling for a special election in November to vote on a redrawn congressional map designed to help Democrats win five more House seats next year.
Governor Gavin Newsom quickly signed the bill, emphasizing that “other blue states need to stand up” and that Democrats will use these means as well if Republicans don’t back away from partisan redistricting.
The Texas redraw is already reshaping the 2026 race, with Democratic Representative Lloyd Doggett announcing he will not seek re-election to his Austin-based seat if the new map takes effect.
Trump has encouraged other Republican-controlled states, including Indiana and Missouri, to revise their maps to add more winnable GOP seats. Ohio Republicans are also scheduled to revise their maps to make them more partisan.
The partisan makeup of existing districts puts Democrats within three seats of a majority in the House of Representatives. Given that the incumbent president’s party usually loses seats in the midterms, this redistricting battle could significantly impact the balance of power in Congress.
Redistricting typically occurs once a decade after a census. While some states have limitations, there is no national impediment to a state trying to redraw districts mid-decade.
The US Supreme Court has ruled that the Constitution does not outlaw partisan gerrymandering but prohibits using race to redraw district lines.
Critics argue that partisan gerrymandering can disenfranchise certain groups and undermine democratic representation.