The Texas State House on Wednesday approved a new congressional map, overcoming a Democratic blockade in an effort to strengthen the GOP’s prospects of retaining control of the U.S. House next year.
The Republican-controlled House passed the map in an 88-52 vote, introducing five new Republican-leaning congressional districts in the Lone Star State ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The map still requires approval from the Texas State Senate before it reaches Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
Greg Abbott of Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott has advocated for a new map to prevent a repeat of the 2018 election cycle, when Democrats reclaimed the House majority, limiting President Donald Trump’s legislative influence during the final years of his first term.
While Republicans hold a supermajority in Texas and had already passed the map through the Senate, Democrats needed to form a quorum in the House to advance the process.
Donald Trump talks to the media
President Donald Trump addressed reporters in Washington on Aug. 11, 2025.
Many Texas Democrats left the state in an attempt to delay the process, sparking national media attention and drawing financial support from Democratic donors, including groups connected to George Soros and Beto O’Rourke, to cover fines, travel, and lodging.
The walkout prompted calls for arrests from Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, as well as a request from Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, for the FBI to track down the lawmakers and for the DOJ to investigate the political action committees funding their escape.
Democratic leaders announced Monday they would return for a second special session after California unveiled its own redistricting plan to counteract the Lone Star State’s map, effectively ending the blockade and allowing Republicans to proceed.
Texas House Democrats criticized the GOP map as illegal and racially discriminatory. They attempted to introduce amendments on the House floor to halt the process, but Republicans rejected a dozen proposed changes.
“Members, it breaks my heart to see how this illegal and rigged, mid-decade redistricting scheme is dividing our state and our country,” said Rep. Chris Turner, a Democrat. “This is Texas, it’s not Washington D.C. The impulses of outside politicians and their billionaire backers shouldn’t dictate what we do in this chamber, in this House.”
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom
Rep. Todd Hunter, a Republican and the bill’s author, highlighted that four of the five new districts were “majority-minority Hispanic,” noting that each district leaned Republican. He also acknowledged the political motivation behind the changes.
“The underlying goal of this plan is straightforward, [to] improve Republican political performance,” Hunter said.
The Democrats’ blockade concluded Monday after Abbott called a second special session, following California’s efforts to redraw its maps to counterbalance the Texas plan.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Democrats unveiled their new map last week, which, if enacted, would create five new Democratic-leaning congressional districts aimed at offsetting the Texas legislature’s changes.
