Texas Republicans Vote to Advance Extreme Gerrymander

Texas Republicans advanced their mid-decade gerrymander Monday, as a House committee voted, 12-8, to send the measure to the full chamber for consideration. 

The move marks a pivotal step in the GOP’s effort, after pressure from President Donald Trump, to reshape the congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting approved House Bill 4 (HB 4) during a brief meeting at the Capitol, with Republican members uniting to propel the proposal forward.

“There’s nothing that prevents mid-decade redistricting, and we could do it again,” State Rep. Todd Hunter (R) said during the committee’s discussion. “It looks good to the Republicans, and we’ll just have to agree to disagree.”

The plan, endorsed by Trump, would add as many as five new GOP-leaning seats to Texas’ congressional delegation, boosting Republican chances of holding the U.S. House in 2026.

Democrats, who recently ended a quorum-breaking walkout that stalled legislative business for two weeks, argue the maps dilute the voting power of communities of color and set a dangerous precedent by allowing mid-cycle redistricting whenever it benefits those in power.

The committee’s action intensifies pressure on Senate Democrats, with some House members urging their counterparts to launch a quorum break of their own to stall the proposal long enough to block a vote. 

The redistricting plan, a slightly different map from the original map filed under the bill, now heads to the full House chamber, where Republicans hold a clear majority and can advance the legislation without Democratic support. A floor debate and vote could come within days, sending the measure on to the Senate and then to Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) desk.