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What to know, the latest on Texas’ redistricting efforts

What to know, the latest on Texas’ redistricting efforts

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Democrats in and out of the state are exploring options to block or counter Republicans’ controversial redistricting plan.

WASHINGTON − An ongoing effort by Republicans to redraw Texas’ congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections continues to agitate Democrats across the country, as they search for ways to block or counter an initiative sought by President Donald Trump.

The White House has urged Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and state Republicans to advance on a rare mid-decade redistricting, with the hope that shifting boundaries could help the party pick up as many as five seats in next year’s race for control of the U.S. House.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, and the GOP are hoping the boost can help them hang onto their razor-thin lower chamber majority during the final two years of Trump’s second term and amid the 2028 race for the White House.

Texas Democrats balked when Abbott agreed to add redistricting to their to-do list for a 30-day special session that began July 21 in Austin. Now, liberal lawmakers are crying foul with blue state governors threatening tit-for-tat responses and Texas Democrats weighing their own limited protest options as the GOP seeks to make major changes to the critical voter boundary lines that make up the nation’s second largest congressional delegation.

“All eyes are on Texas,” Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, told reporters at a briefing Wednesday morning. “They haven’t done it yet. If they do, just think the political stakes are such that Democrats have to be ready to meet fire with fire. There’s an effort to keep Texas from going down that road first.”

Here’s the latest to know on the controversial redistricting effort happening in the Lone Star State.

What could a new map look like?

Texas Republicans released their proposed new map on July 30.

Ahead of the official release, Punchbowl News first reported that the anticipated redraw would shift district boundaries around Dallas, Houston, Austin and the Rio Grande Valley.

There would still be 38 total seats in the Texas delegation under the new maps – leaving it second only to California’s 52 seats. But five Texas seats would be redrawn in a bid that Republican envision giving their candidates a leg up with more GOP voters.

Democrats who at risk of losing their spot in Congress include Reps. Henry Cuellar, Vicente Gonzalez and Marc Veasey, according to Punchbowl.

Democrats charge partisan law violation

The rare push to redraw the boundary lines has led Democratic senators to accuse Trump administration officials of breaking a decades-old law limiting executive branch employees from engaging in partisan activities − such as advocating for a state’s redistricting in order to benefit their political party.

In a letter to the Office of Special Counsel, California Sens. Padilla and Adam Schiff, along with Rhode Island’s Sheldon Whitehouse and Illinois’ Dick Durbin, called for an investigation into members of Trump’s White House and Justice Department, accusing them of breaking the Hatch Act.

“The purpose of this redistricting push is to defeat Democratic Members of Congress and elect Republicans to affect the balance of political party power in the 120th Congress,” the senators wrote.

“While such goals are appropriate for a political party organization, they are not appropriate for executive branch officials,” they added, “especially at the Department of Justice which must take greater steps to ensure it acts with impartiality.”

The Hatch Act does not apply to the president or vice president.

Hakeem Jeffries took a trip to Texas

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, made a trip to Texas July 30, the same day Republicans released their proposed map.

While there, Politico reported that Jeffries planned to meet with Rep. Al Green, a Houston lawmaker whose district could be caught in the crosshairs of a major map shake up.

“We understand that this is all hands on deck for us in the Democratic Party,” Green told Politico.

Jeffries has been vocal in his opposition to the redistricting plans, saying in a July 15 press conference, “Texas Republicans are likely going to continue to act like political punks and bend the knee to Donald Trump’s extreme agenda.”

Later, he told CNN, regarding Democrats’ response: “Let me just simply say the maps in New York are not as fair as they could be.”

Redistricting arms race could ensue

Jeffries is not the only blue state lawmaker proposing an equal and opposite reaction to Texas.

Democrats coast-to-coast have promised a full-scale counterattack, should the Lone Star State move forward with redistricting.

“We’re not going to be sitting back with one hand tied behind our back while Republicans try to undermine the voices of the American people,” Rep. Suzan DelBene, a Democrat from Washington and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told reporters at a meeting July 23.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has suggested a redistricting in his state to offset Republican actions. In reaction to the official map proposal July 30, Newsom said online, “The 2026 election is being rigged. California won’t sit back and watch this happen.”

But unlike in Texas where legislators decide district lines, Newsom does face a major obstacle in the form of a bipartisan redistricting commission, which oversees California’s maps.

The response from Democrats has enticed other Republican-controlled states to potentially jump in too.

Missouri Republicans are pondering a plan to give their party a geographical leg up, and legislatures in other states such as Florida and New Hampshire have the ability to reevaluate maps like Texas.

Texas Democrats eye leaving the state

Back in Texas, Democrats have a limited number of options to counter a GOP-controlled state House and Senate.

Their primary tool is a controversial and seldom used move to flee the state and break the quorum necessary to proceed in the legislative session. State Democrats last used the measure in 2021 to protest new voting restrictions. After that episode, in which representatives halted operations for 38 days, Republicans approved a $500 a day fine for breaking quorum.

The monetary punishment could be enough to give Democrats pause about leaving the state this time. However, the Texas Tribune reported deep-pocked Democratic donors are ready to assist and enable a potential walkout.

Contributing: Deborah Berry, USA TODAY