Democracy Dies in Darkness

Texas map would add five safe Republican seats. What it means for the midterms.

The newly proposed Republican map, at President Donald Trump’s urging, would give the party a potential backstop for keeping control of the House even if it performs poorly elsewhere in the 2026 elections.

Updated 2 minutes ago

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Texas state Rep. Carl H. Tepper (R-Lubbock) looks through U.S. Congressional District maps during a redistricting hearing at the Texas Capitol on July 24 in Austin. (Eric Gay/AP)

By Yvonne Wingett Sanchez

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With control of the narrowly divided U.S. House hanging in the balance in the 2026 midterm elections, Republicans in Texas on Wednesday unveiled their opening proposal to redraw new district boundaries that would give Republicans five more safely red seats at the urging of President Donald Trump.

The GOP-led state legislature, which has convened in a special session to draft the plans and address this summer’s deadly flooding in the state, released the preliminary maps after days of contentious hearings. Their proposal set off a broader partisan dispute, with some Democratic-controlled states threatening to retaliate by adding more seats for their party.

What readers are saying

The comments express strong opposition to gerrymandering, particularly in Texas, and highlight concerns about its impact on democracy and the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives. Many commenters argue that Democrats should respond by redistricting in states like... Show more

This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.

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