Texas lawmakers have approved a sweeping redistricting plan that could yield as many as five new Republican-leaning congressional seats, a development President Donald Trump hailed as a decisive win for his party. The measure, which passed the Texas House in an 88–52 vote strictly along party lines, has energized Republicans while prompting Democrats to vow immediate legal challenges.
Trump praised the outcome on Truth Social, calling it a “Big WIN” for both Texas and the nation. He urged Republican-led states such as Florida and Indiana to follow suit, arguing that redistricting—coupled with eliminating mail-in ballots and restoring paper-only voting—could secure up to 100 additional GOP seats nationwide. “Protecting the Second Amendment, growing the economy, and reducing crime” were among the benefits he said such efforts would bring.
Republican leaders in Austin defended the map as a fair adjustment to Texas’ shifting population, wrote Fox News. Rep. Todd Hunter emphasized that political performance was central to the new lines, saying, “We’re being straightforward about it,” and presenting the plan as necessary for accurate representation.
Democrats condemned the move as an overt attempt to dilute minority political power. Rep. Gene Wu of Houston framed the decision as the beginning of a protracted legal fight. “This is not over. We will continue fighting in the courts,” he said. Other Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Chris Turner and Jon Rosenthal, accused Republicans of designing an illegal gerrymander that marginalizes African American and Latino voters.
The battle in Texas reflects a broader national contest over congressional maps ahead of the 2026 elections. In a countermeasure, California Democrats, led by Gov. Gavin Newsom, have advanced a redistricting plan to create five Democratic-leaning districts, overthrowing a statewide vote for a commission to draw the congressional districts that was supported by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Hollywood star has warned Newsom that he intends to fight back.
The fate of Texas’ map now rests with the courts, but its passage represents a pivotal moment in the intensifying struggle over who controls the political landscape of the U.S. House.
