Following the signing of a bill that redraws the state’s congressional districts, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a video post on social media, “Texas is now more red in the United States Congress.”
The head of the Texas Democratic Party criticized Abbott, stating that he and the Republicans “effectively surrendered Texas to Washington” with the new map. State Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder said in a statement, “They love to boast about how ‘Texas Tough’ they are, but when Donald Trump made one call, they bent over backwards to prioritize his politics over Texans’. Honestly, it’s pathetic.”
The new Texas map has already impacted the 2026 race, with Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, the dean of the state’s congressional delegation, announcing he would not seek re-election to his Austin-based seat if the new map takes effect. Under the proposed map, Doggett’s district would overlap with that of another Democratic incumbent, Rep. Greg Casar.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has emerged as a leading opponent of Trump on redistricting and other issues, derisively called Abbott the president’s “#1 lapdog” on X (formerly Twitter) after the signing. Republicans have admitted they believe winning more congressional seats in Texas will help the party maintain its slim majority in the US House of Representatives in next year’s midterm elections. More Republican-controlled states are considering similar actions.
Conversely, California and other states where Democrats hold power are vowing to counter these moves. The California legislature approved a redistricting plan last week aimed at securing five more congressional seats for Democrats. The California plan must be approved by voters in November, while the Texas plan does not need voter approval but has been challenged in court.
The Texas bill was delayed for two weeks after more than 50 Democratic state House members staged a walkout, denying Republicans the necessary legislative quorum. Democrats argued that the new Texas map violates federal law by diluting the voting power of Hispanic and Black populations and discriminating based on race. The Texas Republicans who sponsored the bill said they redrew the maps based on voting history, not race.
This week, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found that most Americans believe redrawing congressional lines for political gain, a practice known as gerrymandering, is detrimental to democracy.
