3:23Rep. Joaquin Castro, left, Rep. Greg Casar, center, and Rep. Sylvia Garcia, right, provide testimony during a redistricting hearing at the Texas Capitol on July 24, 2025, in Austin, Texas.Eric Gay/AP
On Wednesday, Republican state lawmakers in Texas introduced new congressional maps following President Donald Trump’s advocacy for more GOP-friendly maps to assist the party in retaining a majority in the U.S. House in the 2026 elections.
These maps emerge as Texas legislators convene for a special legislative session called by GOP Governor Greg Abbott, who outlined an agenda that includes evaluating congressional district redistricting “in light of Constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.”
Rep. Joaquin Castro, left, Rep. Greg Casar, center, and Rep. Sylvia Garcia, right, provide testimony during a redistricting hearing at the Texas Capitol on July 24, 2025, in Austin, Texas.Eric Gay/AP
Trump has expressed a desire for Republicans to secure five additional seats in Texas and elsewhere; Democrats have condemned this strategy, arguing it jeopardizes the rights of minority voters.
Governors from blue states like California and New York have indicated they are contemplating mid-decade redistricting in response, although they may encounter legal obstacles. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has mentioned a desire to reevaluate the state’s maps, posted on X on Wednesday, “The 2026 election is being rigged. California won’t sit back and allow this to happen.”
The legislative bill that contains the proposed maps, introduced by Republican Texas state Rep. Todd Hunter on Wednesday morning, stipulates that it would override “all previous enactments or orders adopting congressional districts for the State of Texas” and would take effect first in the 2026 primary and general elections – indicating that if successfully adopted, it would affect the 2026 midterm elections.
Analysts informed ABC News that the new map could potentially yield Republicans between three and five additional seats if implemented.
David Wasserman, a senior editor and elections analyst for The Cook Political Report, stated to ABC News that three of the districts in the proposed map have been entirely redesigned to benefit Republicans, while two in South Texas currently occupied by Democratic Representatives Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez may still be viable for Democrats to retain.
More generally, Wasserman highlighted how Republicans gained ground among Hispanic voters in 2024, suggesting that the map reflects their expectation that these shifts will be lasting. “Republicans have very little to lose here, as this map doesn’t significantly weaken any of their own incumbents,” he remarked.
In the previous November elections, Republicans secured a slim three-seat majority, currently holding 219 seats compared to Democrats’ 212. At present, four seats are vacant.
The Texas congressional delegation presently consists of 25 Republican House members and 12 Democratic House members. (One seat, previously held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, has been vacant since his passing in March.)
Although the specifics of the bill and map proposal may evolve during committee discussions, state House floor debates, or subsequent legal challenges, the current proposition indicates that several Democratic members might become more vulnerable.
Some of these members are among five pairs from opposing parties being redistricted into the same district; and two Democrats – U.S. Reps. Greg Casar and Rep. Lloyd Doggett – would be placed into the same district.
In this May 16, 2025, file photo, Rep. Lloyd Doggett speaks during a markup meeting with the House Budget Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images, FILE
(These representatives could choose to run in different districts, retire from the House, or pursue other offices – there’s no assurance they will be pitted against one another if the map is approved.)
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
