The Texas House of Representatives passed a new congressional map on Wednesday, a move that could significantly bolster Republican representation in the U.S. House. The controversial redistricting plan, which was approved in an 88-52 party-line vote, is now headed to the state Senate.
The new boundaries, openly crafted to improve Republican political performance, are projected to give the GOP as many as five additional seats in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The legislation follows weeks of political maneuvering, including a two-week walkout by Democratic lawmakers who fled the state in a bid to block a vote on the measure. Republican State Representative Todd Hunter, the author of the bill, stated that its goal was “straightforward: improve Republican political performance.”
Democrats have fiercely condemned the map, alleging that it constitutes a racial gerrymander that dilutes the voting power of minority communities, which have been responsible for nearly all of Texas’ recent population growth. Critics argue the new map “cracks” and “packs” voters of color into districts in a way that violates the federal Voting Rights Act. Despite these objections, all 12 amendments proposed by Democrats were rejected by the Republican-controlled House.
The passage of the Texas map has ignited a national “redistricting war” between the two major parties. In response to the Texas move, California Governor Gavin Newsom and other Democrats have vowed to create new Democratic-leaning districts in their own states to counter the Republican gains. This tit-for-tat dynamic highlights the escalating partisan battle over congressional control ahead of the 2026 midterms, with civil rights groups already preparing legal challenges to the Texas plan.