Texas Republicans Wednesday have been poised to cross a controversial redistricting plan ordered by President Trump to flip 5 Democratic seats within the 2026 midterm elections.
After Democrats ended a headline-grabbing bid to dam the GOP transfer, Republicans teed off debate within the state Home of Representatives by making no bones that their objective is to assist Trump maintain onto Congress in what’s shaping up as a troublesome political surroundings.
“The underlying goal of this plan is straightforward: improve Republican political performance,” Rep. Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi).
Democrats responded that the unprecedented mid-decade gerrymander effort is completely undemocratic.
“In a democracy, people choose their representatives,” mentioned State Rep. Chris Turner, a Democrat. “This bill flips that on its head.”
Folks show, calling for the discharge of Democratic Texas Rep. Nicole Collier within the State Capitol on Tuesday in Austin, Texas. State Rep. Nicole Collier has spent the evening on the Home flooring after refusing a compulsory escort by Division of Public Security. (Brandon Bell/Getty Photos)
Whilst outnumbered Democrats scrambled to mount last-minute delay techniques, the invoice was anticipated to cross the Home as quickly as late Wednesday. It might then be rubber-stamped by the state Senate and signed into regulation by Gov. Greg Abbott, a robust Trump ally.
The Lone Star State quantities to the primary battle in a mushrooming nationwide redistricting battle that Trump unleashed final month with the objective of serving to Republicans maintain onto management of Congress subsequent yr, when historical past says the sitting president’s celebration could be anticipated to lose floor.
Crimson states together with Ohio, Missouri and Indiana are additionally planning to nix Democratic-held seats.
In Texas, Democratic lawmakers fled the state to disclaim Republicans a quorum, a tactic that succeeded in delaying the measure for about two weeks.
They have been nonetheless working time beyond regulation to highlight the bizarre strategies Republicans have been utilizing to jam by way of the brand new map in a state the place they management nearly all levers of energy.
As soon as Democrats returned to the Capitol, GOP leaders ordered them to signal “permission slips” authorizing state police escorts to make sure they might return for the vote.
Rep. Nicole Collier (D-Fort Price) refused the signal and slept in a single day within the legislature chamber Monday. Seven colleagues joined her Tuesday evening into Wednesday.
Rep. Linda Garcia (D-Dallas) mentioned a state police officer tailed her as she drove three hours dwelling from Austin. He adopted her down every aisle when she went grocery buying, then waited in an unmarked automobile exterior her dwelling.
“It’s a weird feeling,” she mentioned. “It’s like I’m in a movie.”
Initially Printed: August 20, 2025 at 12:06 PM EDT
