Texas Senate passes Republican-leaning map, Governor Abbott set to sign

TEXAS: The Texas Senate on Saturday (local time) approved a new Republican-leaning congressional map, paving the way for Governor Greg Abbott to sign it into law, The Hill reported.

The new Texas map secures an additional five Republican-leaning congressional districts, shifting the balance of power ahead of competitive midterm elections expected in 2026.

The legislation cleared the Senate by 18 votes to 11, with Democrats opposing what they described as a partisan attempt to force Republican control. The move followed a similar party-line passage in the Texas House, where Democratic lawmakers had earlier staged a two-week boycott before returning to the chamber.

The Senate had initially passed the proposal during a previous special legislative session, but fresh approval was required after that session ended. Abbott convened a second session this week, allowing the House-passed version to move forward.

In a post on X, Abbott welcomed the passage and said, “The One Big Beautiful Map has passed the Senate. Despite Democrats’ petty stunts, we delivered on our promise. This map reflects Texans’ actual voting preferences, and I look forward to signing it into law.”

As reported by The Hill, Democrats have pledged to challenge the legislation in court. Representative Suzan DelBene, Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, termed the plan an “unprovoked, unwarranted Texas gerrymander.”

“We are seeing Democrats around the country respond and fight back to make sure DC Republicans cannot steal the House majority,” Suzan DelBene said. “I applaud the Texas Democratic lawmakers who have been at the forefront of this fight and inspired people across the country to stand up and fight back against Republicans’ shameful attempt to cling onto power,” she added.

The developments in Texas come amid similar redistricting efforts across the country. In California, the legislature this week approved a ballot measure that will allow voters to decide on new district lines for the remainder of the decade. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the measure into law shortly after its passage. The revised map could provide Democrats with up to five additional seats in the House, The Hill reported.

Republican-led states, including Florida and Missouri, are also considering new congressional boundaries, signalling that the battle over redistricting is likely to intensify ahead of the midterm polls. (ANI)