Texas: House debates new GOP electoral map pushed by Trump
State Rep. Todd Hunter, a Republican and author of the legislation, defended the map, stressing that its goal is to “improve Republican political performance.”
President Donald Trump, next to Texas Governor Greg Abbott (File).
The Republican-controlled Texas House of Representatives kicked off a heated debate Wednesday over a new congressional district map that could give five additional seats to the Republican Party in the 2026 midterm elections.
This plan, pushed by President Donald Trump, seeks to consolidate the slim Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Along those lines, state Rep. Todd Hunter, a Republican and author of the legislation, defended the map, stressing that its goal is to "improve Republican political performance" and that it is backed by a Supreme Court ruling in 2019 that allows partisan redistricting. “The underlying goal of this plan is straight forward,” Hunter said at the start of the debate, according to an AP news agency report.
Democrats condemn plan
For their part, Democrats condemned the plan as an attack on democracy. State Rep. Chris Turner argued, “In a democracy, people choose their representatives. This bill flips that on its head and lets politicians in Washington DC choose their voters.”
However, Democrats, who had previously left the state to block the vote by breaking the necessary quorum, partially returned on Monday, allowing the House to resume its duties.
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The debate and vote
The debate, which is expected to culminate in a vote as early as Wednesday, is taking place under strict measures. House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced that the doors of the House were closed and that any lawmaker wishing to leave must apply for a permit.
The map must still be approved by the state Senate, also controlled by Republicans, and then, signed by Governor Greg Abbott. For their part, Democrats have vowed to take the case to court, arguing that the map dilutes the minority vote, in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
Nationally, Democrats have warned they will respond with map redistricting in states under their control, such as California, where the legislature plans to approve new districts favorable to their party, pending voter approval in November.
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The battle for a quorum in Texas
On Monday, some returned, allowing the House to reach the quorum needed to debate the map on Wednesday. However, some lawmakers, such as Jolanda Jones of Houston, refuse to return, arguing that "the only power we have is the power to deny them a quorum.”
In that regard, some Democrats, such as Rep. Nicole Collier, who protested in a live broadcast Tuesday night, have received support from national figures such as ex-Vice President Kamala Harris, who expressed: “We are all in that room with you," according to reports from The Washington Post.
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