The Republican-controlled Texas Senate passed the party’s new congressional map overnight, completing the legislative odyssey that involved significant democratic delays and caused a nationwide scramble of rezoning in the process.
The vote means a map designed to fill the Republican majority in the US Congress and will take effect when it signs it by Gov. Greg Abbott, a supporter of the plan supported by President Donald Trump.
Democrats have pledged to challenge the action in court.
Trump initially called for Texas to redraw the map of Congress, saying his party is “entitled” five more congressional seats from the state. That’s what the maps are trying to do. By redrawing the boundaries of major cities’ congressional districts, along the state’s borders, Texas has 30 congressional districts that Trump carried with double-digit margins last fall.
The GOP currently manages 25 of the state’s 38 legislative districts.
Republicans have been stubborn and dull since the start of the process that their exercises were a political process aimed at enhancing the party’s strength in Washington, where the home is almost evenly balanced. Democrats need a net profit of just three seats to make up a majority in the 2026 election.
Democrats accused Republicans of setting a dangerous precedent by not waiting until 2031 to redraw the lines as customary, saying they would hurt the state’s minority representatives, accusations denied by their Republican colleagues.
Unlike the state homes where dozens of Democrats have forced dozens of Democrats to flee the nation and call on Abbott for another special session in order to deny a quorum to advance the law, the Senate is not hampered by those efforts.
The move sparked rapid rebukes from opponents of the measure.
“This is not a democracy, this is not a shame,” Sen. Sarah Eckhart said in X after a failed democratic attempt at the Filibuster.
Democrats had planned to push back Senate votes on Saturday morning.
Previously, Sen. Carol Alvarado, the Senate Democrat Caucus leader, announced on social media that he planned to filibuster the bill in lengthy speeches, and intended to speak for several hours. But as she was hoping to begin, the Senate broke due to a long dinner break.
When the members returned, Alvarado had no opportunity to be a filibuster.
Sen. Charles Perry said “it appears to be at least possible unethical using state resources for campaign purposes.”
The spotlight will move to California as Abbott is poised to sign the law on a new map. In California, Democrats have their own proposal to redraw the state’s legislative boundaries in political retaliation for the Texas move. Unlike Texas, where regular laws are sufficient to change the map, the California Democrats’ proposal must be approved by voters in special elections this fall for them to take effect.
