Republicans on Wednesday introduced a redistricting plan that could significantly reshape the state’s political map and strengthen GOP control in next year’s midterm elections.
The proposed maps, filed by state Rep. Todd Hunter (R) during a special legislative session, are projected to add five new congressional districts that former President Donald Trump carried by double digits in 2024. Trump has publicly pushed state Republicans to redraw the lines to protect the party’s narrow 219-212 U.S. House majority.
If adopted, the new map could shift the balance of power in several regions, including Rep. Greg Casar’s (D) 35th Congressional District near Austin and San Antonio. Analysts from Punchbowl News and The Texan project the changes could give Republicans five pickup opportunities while increasing the number of majority-minority districts and reducing county splits, according to Adam Kincaid of the National Republican Redistricting Trust.
Democrats quickly condemned the proposal, with Casar calling it “a crime against Texas voters and the Voting Rights Act.” The National Redistricting Foundation labeled it “a racially discriminatory, brazen power grab,” and Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin pledged to “explore all options” to challenge the maps.
The redistricting move comes as Democrats in blue states like California consider their own adjustments, escalating what some observers describe as a nationwide redistricting battle.
Texas’ current map, drawn after the 2020 census, already favored Republicans, who hold a 25-13 edge in the state’s congressional delegation. Critics argue mid-decade redistricting could further dilute minority representation and faces ongoing legal challenges, including an El Paso trial focused on racial discrimination claims.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is planning to meet with Texas Democrats as the party strategizes its response.
Source: The Hill