The Texas State Capitol recently voted on a new Republican-friendly congressional map, which has drawn significant attention ahead of potential changes across the nation. On Wednesday, the lower chamber approved the map with a vote of 88-52, marking the first of two crucial votes, with the final decision expected on the same day.
This vote represents a notable success for Republicans. Governor Greg Abbott (R) called a second special session after an earlier attempt to pass the map was disrupted by Democrats who fled the state during the first 30-day session. Following the lower chamber’s vote, the state senate will also need to approve the map before it heads to Abbott for final approval.
Earlier in the year, Republicans urged the White House to support their efforts as they brace for the upcoming political challenges. Historically, the Presidential Party has faced difficulties during midterm cycles. President Trump encouraged Texas Republicans to act swiftly on Tuesday to finalize the new congressional boundaries.
Additions related to re-zoning were included later, which hadn’t been part of Abbott’s initial request for the special session. Republicans previously attempted to rapidly pass a new map, but a Democrat walkout prevented a quorum.
Texas Democrats organized in states like California, New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts to raise awareness on the subject, which led to Republican criticisms of the Democrats’ stance on gerrymandering.
The push for new boundaries has prompted California to propose its own congressional map as a way to counteract potential advantages from Texas’ updated map. Several other states, including Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and New York, are also expected to revise their congressional maps.
This week, Texas Democrats returned for the second special session, where passing the new map seemed nearly certain. Republicans are already gearing up to contest this map, while California aims to halt the passage of its new congressional lines through a November voting initiative.
Currently, Republicans hold 25 congressional seats in Texas, and Democrats have 12, with one seat remaining open following the passing of Sylvester Turner (D-Texas) in March. The newly proposed map could give Republicans an opportunity to increase their representation to 30 seats.
