The Texas House has approved a Trump-backed redistricting plan projected to give Republicans as many as five additional U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterms, advancing a map that reshapes districts across the state’s largest urban centers and South Texas. The measure passed on Wednesday by an 88-52 vote and now moves to the Texas Senate, The Associated Press reported.
The proposal, drafted by Republican leaders with input from former President Donald Trump’s advisers, redraws several key congressional districts in Houston, Dallas, Austin, and along the Rio Grande Valley, said the Texas Tribune.
Supporters say the map reflects population shifts since the 2020 census and will provide fairer representation for rural voters. Critics, including Democrat lawmakers and voting rights groups, argue the changes are designed to dilute minority influence and secure long-term Republican dominance in Texas’ congressional delegation.
Democrats attempted to block the vote by staging a two-week walkout, leaving the state to prevent the House from reaching a quorum. Gov. Greg Abbott and Republican leaders responded by authorizing arrest warrants for absent members, vowing to compel their return. Eventually, Democrats returned, and the Republican majority advanced the bill. Legal challenges are already being prepared, with opponents citing violations of the Voting Rights Act and claims of racial gerrymandering.
National Redistricting Battles
The fight in Texas reflects a national trend as both parties seek to reshape congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms. While redistricting traditionally follows the decennial census, Republican officials in several states have argued that mid-decade adjustments are warranted due to population growth, migration, and shifts in political power.
Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina are among the Republican-led states considering new proposals that could strengthen GOP advantages in competitive districts. Republican lawmakers contend these measures are necessary to ensure accurate representation and counter what they view as partisan gerrymanders already in place in Democrat-controlled state
Democrats, meanwhile, have criticized mid-decade redraws as unprecedented and destabilizing. They argue that frequent map changes undermine voters’ confidence in the electoral process and could lead to prolonged litigation ahead of the next election cycle.
California’s Planned Countermeasure
California is preparing a direct response. Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed suspending the state’s independent redistricting commission and allowing the Democrat-controlled California Legislature to redraw congressional maps if Texas’ plan takes effect. The initiative, known as Proposition 50, is scheduled for a special election on Nov. 4, The Guardian reported.
Under the proposal, California Democrats would target five Republican-leaning seats, reshaping districts in Orange County, the Central Valley, and parts of Northern California. Supporters frame the plan as a defensive measure to counteract Republican gains in Texas and other red states.
“If one side changes the rules, we can’t sit idly by,” Newsom said at a recent press conference.
Public hearings on the California proposal have drawn thousands of comments, with opponents warning that suspending the state’s independent commission would set a dangerous precedent. Republican officials in the state have pledged to challenge Proposition 50 in court, citing constitutional concerns over bypassing established redistricting procedures.
Newsom has described the plan as a “trigger” mechanism: It would go into effect only if Texas enacts its new map. Critics counter that the move undermines California’s commitment to independent, nonpartisan redistricting, replacing it with a process controlled by the legislature and governor.
What Comes Next
With the Texas measure advancing to the state Senate and California preparing its own countermeasure, the national battle over congressional maps is poised to intensify. Court challenges are expected in both states, raising the likelihood that federal courts — and potentially the U.S. Supreme Court — will be asked to intervene before the 2026 elections.
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