Texas Gov. Greg Abbott indicators new voting maps pushed by Trump to achieve 5 GOP seats in Congress in 2026

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed into legislation a brand new congressional voting map designed to assist Republicans achieve extra seats within the 2026 midterm elections, delivering a win for President Donald Trump and his need to carry onto a slim GOP majority within the U.S. Home.

The Texas map drafted in uncommon mid-decade redistricting prompted fierce protests from Democrats and sparked a gerrymandering tug-of-war for voters in states throughout the nation.

Earlier than Texas lawmakers handed their new map, California had handed a invoice that can ask voters to approve new Democratic-leaning districts to counter any Republican positive factors in Texas.

The incumbent president’s social gathering often loses congressional seats within the midterm election. On a nationwide degree, the partisan make-up of present districts places Democrats inside three seats of a majority.

President Donald Trump has pushed for the map to assist the GOP preserve its slim majority in Congress within the 2026 midterm elections.

Texas Democrats have vowed to problem the brand new map in courtroom. They delayed a vote within the state Home by two weeks by fleeing Texas in July in protest and to rally assist nationally. And so they had been assigned round the clock police monitoring upon their return to make sure they attended Wednesday’s session.

However the massive Republican majority within the Texas Legislature made its final passage all however inevitable.

As a result of the Supreme Court docket has blessed purely partisan gerrymandering, the one approach opponents can cease the brand new Texas map can be by arguing in courtroom that it violates the Voting Rights Act requirement to maintain minority communities collectively to allow them to choose representatives of their selection.

Republican leaders have denied the map is racially discriminatory and contend the brand new map creates extra new majority-minority seats than the earlier one. They’ve additionally been express of their need to attract a brand new map for a purpose of electing extra Republicans.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Texas Democrats put together closing present of resistance in opposition to Republican-backed redrawn maps

Democratic Senator Carol Alvarado of Texas proclaims plan to filibuster the redistricting invoice from passing on Friday.