Texas House approves mid-decade redistricting plan

The Texas House of Representatives has approved a Republican-backed redistricting plan that would redraw the state’s congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The chamber voted 88-52 on Wednesday to pass the measure and send it to the state Senate, where it is expected to be approved as soon as Thursday.

The proposal, supported by President Donald Trump, would create as many as five new Republican-leaning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Democrats have denounced the effort as a mid-decade partisan gerrymander aimed at cementing Republican control.

In early August, more than 50 Democratic lawmakers left the state to block passage of the plan, traveling to cities including Chicago, Albany, and Boston. Their absence prevented the House from reaching the 100-member quorum required to conduct business.

Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to issue civil arrest warrants to compel the Democrats’ return, though such warrants have no effect outside Texas. The Democrats eventually returned, allowing Republicans to move forward with the map this week.