Texas redistricting sparks partisan clash in Legislature

BY COLTON BRADBERRY

Managing Editor

Texas Republicans have pushed through a mid-decade congressional redistricting plan that could give their party five additional U.S. House seats in 2026, sparking lawsuits and walkouts from Democrats who say the map is racially discriminatory.

Governor Greg Abbott signed the bill into law in late August, calling it a win for conservative voters. 

“Texas is now more red in the United States Congress,” Abbott said in a post on X.

The redistricting plan was requested by President Donald Trump and advanced quickly through the GOP-controlled Legislature. State Rep. Phil King, a Republican from Weatherford who sponsored the bill, defended the maps as legally sound and said they would perform better for Republicans.

 “Though this map is already being challenged in court, I feel confident we will prevail,” King said in a post on his website.

President Trump repeatedly urged lawmakers to pass the plan. 

“I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know. And we are entitled to five more seats,” Trump told CNBC.

President Trump repeatedly cheered the Texas plan, tying it directly to his political influence and the GOP’s hold on Congress.

“Big WIN for the Great State of Texas!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Everything passed, on our way to FIVE more Congressional seats and saving your Rights, your Freedoms and your Country, itself. Texas never lets us down.”

House Democrats warned that the maps not only diminish minority voting power but also reduce competitiveness in elections. Many districts, they argued, were drawn to favor one party so heavily that voters would be stripped of meaningful choices.

“This bill represents one of the most blatant assaults on fair representation we have seen in Texas,” Rep. Ana Hernandez, Democrat from Houston, said during the House debate.

Tensions escalated as Democrats attempted to prevent a vote by walking out of the chamber earlier in the session. Lawmakers were pressured to return, with some facing what they described as heavy-handed tactics from Republicans.

“I would not sign away my dignity and allow Republicans to control my movements and monitor me,” said Rep. Nicole Collier, Democrat from Fort Worth. “I know these maps will harm my constituents. I won’t just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination.”

Other Republicans framed the map as a necessary correction rather than a partisan power grab.

“We are correcting what was a previous wrong,” said Rep. Ellen Troxclair, Republican from Lakeway. “This map makes sure that we have adequate representation in Congress that reflects the will of the Texas voters.”

With lawsuits already filed by civil rights groups, the final word on the map’s legality will likely come from the courts. For now, Republicans are celebrating a political victory while Democrats vow to keep fighting.