Texas Congressional Map Backed by Trump Nears Final Approval (1)

The Texas House of Representatives approved a new state congressional map backed by President Donald Trump, capping a weeks-long political standoff and boosting Republicans’ chances of keeping control of the US House in the 2026 midterm elections.

The redistricting proposal passed easily in the GOP-dominated House, where a vote had been delayed after Democrats left Texas and deprived the chamber of the minimum number of lawmakers required for proceedings. The walkout ended earlier this week when the Democrats returned, vowing to battle the new map in court once Republican Governor Greg Abbott signs it into law.

Trump, looking to shore up the narrow Republican majority in the US House of Representatives, has pushed the Texas redistricting plan as a way to gain as many as five GOP seats in next year’s midterm elections. Texas Democrats, in turn, urged Democratic-dominated states such as New York, Illinois and California to redraw their own congressional maps in search of offsetting partisan gains.

Explainer: Texas’ Battle Over Gerrymandering Has Deep Roots

California Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a new map this month that could net Democrats five seats there, enough to counter the changes in Texas. Even if California’s Democratic-dominated legislature authorizes it, the measure would still require approval by the state’s voters in a November ballot initiative.

Trump has been pushing Republican-controlled states to follow Texas’ lead. In a post on Truth Social early Thursday, he touted the potential for the GOP to win in Missouri “bigger and better than ever before” in next year’s midterm elections in the state.

While Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has remained noncommittal on redistricting, state officials have looked into the legality of such a move, the Kansas City Star reported.

In Texas, House Speaker Dustin Burrows sought to prevent a repeat performance of the Democrats’ exit by ordering state police to accompany them any time they left the chamber. State Representative Nicole Collier, a Democrat from Fort Worth, rejected that requirement and instead had remained on the House floor since midday Monday, sleeping at her desk.

The Texas Senate, which is also controlled by Republicans, must also approve a new map before it goes to Abbott. The chamber is expected to take up the issue Thursday.

In a statement, Abbott hailed the House vote and said he would sign the measure once it passes the state Senate.

“Republicans stayed the course, stayed at work and stayed true to Texas,” he said.

(Updates with Trump comment on Missouri in fifth paragraph.)

To contact the reporters on this story:
Julie Fine in Dallas at jfine44@bloomberg.net;
Joe Lovinger in Dallas at jlovinger@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Pierre Paulden at ppaulden@bloomberg.net

Brendan Case, Derek Wallbank

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