IN A VOTE WEDNESDAY, TEXAS HOUSE REPUBLICANS APPROVED NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAPS BEFORE THE NEXT CENSUS TO HELP THEM KEEP CONTROL OF THE U.S. HOUSE AFTER THE 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS. THE POLITICAL MOVE FULFILLS PRESIDENT TRUMP’S WISH TO POSSIBLY GAIN FIVE MORE GOP SEATS IN THE U.S. HOUSE. THE FINAL VOTE IN THE TEXAS HOUSE ON […]
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IN A VOTE WEDNESDAY, TEXAS HOUSE REPUBLICANS APPROVED NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAPS BEFORE THE NEXT CENSUS TO HELP THEM KEEP CONTROL OF THE U.S. HOUSE AFTER THE 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS. THE POLITICAL MOVE FULFILLS PRESIDENT TRUMP’S WISH TO POSSIBLY GAIN FIVE MORE GOP SEATS IN THE U.S. HOUSE.
THE FINAL VOTE IN THE TEXAS HOUSE ON THE NEW MAPS WAS 88 TO 52. THE SENATE COULD VOTE ON THE MAP AS EARLY AS THURSDAY.
DURING DEBATE, REPUBLICANS ARGUED THEY BELIEVE THESE MAPS COMPLY WITH LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND SOME EVEN SAID THE NEW MAPS WOULD “UNDO” GERRYMANDERING.
“WE ARE NOT THE FIRST STATE TO DO MID-DECADE REDISTRICTING AND WE DIDN’T INVENT THE PLAYBOOK. BUT WHO LED THE WAY? BLUE STATES, THE ONES THAT YOU ALL FLED TO,” SAID REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE KATRINA PIERSON. “THEY SAY WE’RE DILUTING THE MINORITY DISTRICTS. THEY CALL US RACIST. BUT THE FACTS DON’T MATCH YOUR RETORIC. TEXAS CURRENTLY HAS ZERO BLACK CVAP DISTRICTS AND UNDER THE NEW MAP, THERE ARE TWO. NOW I HAVEN’T BEEN IN THE THIRD GRADE IN A REALLY LONG TIME. BUT WHEN YOU GO FROM ZERO TO TWO, THAT’S AN INCREASE.”
DEMOCRATS, HOWEVER, STRONGLY OPPOSED THE MAPS, CALLING THEM DISCRIMINATORY AND ARGUING THAT THEY VIOLATE THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, WHICH PROTECTS AGAINST RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN VOTING.
“THE QUESTION I WANT TO ASK AS WE PREPARE FOR A FINAL VOTE ON THIS BILL, IS THAT ‘IS IT WORTH IT?’ IS IT ONCE AGAIN WORTH IT TO IGNORE THE WILL OF COUNTLESS TEXANS SAYING ‘NO, WE DON’T WANT THIS. LET’S FOCUS ON FLOOD RELIEF, LET’S INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, LET’S PROVIDE FUNDING FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS,’ SAID DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE VENTON JONES. “THERE ARE STILL BODIES BEING RECOVERED FROM THE FLOODING BUT WE ARE HERE FOCUSING ON MAPS. NOT FLOOD RELIEF, NOT RETURNING THE BODIES TO LOVED ONES, BUT RACIST MAPS, NOT TEXANS.”
DEMOCRATS RETURNED TO THE LONESTAR STATE EARLIER THIS WEEK, AFTER A STANDOFF WITH REPUBLICANS, IN A COORDINATED EFFORT TO PREVENT REPUBLICANS FROM HAVING ENOUGH MEMBERS PRESENT TO PASS THE NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP. THEIR DEPARTURE HALTED THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.
IN RESPONSE, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SAID HIS STATE IS SET TO APPROVE NEW MAPS FAVORING DEMOCRATS, A MOVE PRAISED BY FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.
