Texas Governor Greg Abbott signs Trump-backed redistricting bill

Texas redraw sparks gerrymandering combat nationwide, fueling elector powerfulness battles successful states crossed the governmental divide.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed into instrumentality a measure to redraw the state’s legislature maps astatine the behest of President Donald Trump successful an effort to flip 5 US House seats held by Democrats to Republicans.

The Texas map, drafted successful the uncommon mid-decade redistricting, prompted fierce protests from Democrats and sparked a gerrymandering tug-of-war for voters successful states crossed the country.

“Texas is present much reddish successful the United States Congress,” Abbott said successful a video station connected societal media, aft signing the measure with a marker.

The caput of Texas’s Democratic Party criticised Abbott, saying helium and Republicans “effectively surrendered Texas to Washington” with the caller map.

“They emotion to boast astir however ‘Texas Tough’ they are, but erstwhile Donald Trump made 1 call, they bent implicit backwards to prioritise his authorities implicit Texans,” authorities Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder said successful a statement. “Honestly, it’s pathetic.”

The Texas representation redraw has already reshaped the 2026 race, with Democratic Rep Lloyd Doggett, the dean of the state’s legislature delegation, announcing that helium would not question reelection to his Austin-based spot if the caller representation takes effect. Under the projected map, Doggett’s territory would overlap with that of different Democratic incumbent, Rep Greg Casar.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has emerged arsenic a starring adversary of Trump connected redistricting and different issues, tauntingly labelled Abbott connected X arsenic the president’s “#1 lapdog” pursuing the signing.

Republicans person acknowledged they judge winning much legislature seats successful Texas volition assistance the enactment support its slim bulk successful the US House of Representatives successful adjacent year’s midterm elections. More states controlled by Republicans are considering akin action.

California and different states wherever Democrats clasp powerfulness vow to antagonistic specified moves. The California legislature approved a redistricting program past week aimed astatine giving Democrats 5 much legislature seats.

The California program indispensable beryllium approved by voters successful November. The Texas program does not request elector approval, but it has been challenged successful court.

The Texas measure was delayed for 2 weeks aft much than 50 Democratic authorities House members staged a walkout that denied Republicans the legislative quorum needed.

Democrats argued that the caller Texas representation violates national instrumentality by diluting Hispanic and Black voting powerfulness and discriminating based connected race.

Texas Republicans who sponsored the measure said they redrew maps based connected voting history, not race.

Most Americans judge redrawing legislature lines for the involvement of maximising governmental gain, known arsenic gerrymandering, is atrocious for democracy, a Reuters/Ipsos canvass recovered this week.