Trump Pushes Texas Republicans To Redraw Congressional Maps To Help Defend Gop's House Majority

In nan 2026 midterm elections conflict for power of nan House, erstwhile Republicans will beryllium defending their razor-thin majority, it seems nothing's retired of bounds.

The GOP-controlled state legislature successful Texas meets successful typical convention adjacent week, arsenic apical Republicans successful nan reddish authorities push to redraw nan existent legislature maps to trim nan number of districts controlled by already marginalized Democrats.

It's portion of a broader effort by nan GOP crossed nan state to support power of nan chamber, and cushion losses elsewhere successful nan country, arsenic nan statement successful powerfulness traditionally faces governmental headwinds and loses seats.

And President Donald Trump is aiming to forestall what happened during his first term, erstwhile Democrats stormed backmost to drawback nan House mostly successful nan 2018 midterms.

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President Donald Trump, pinch White House property caput Karoline Leavitt, speaks to nan media arsenic he leaves nan White House, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

"Texas will beryllium nan biggest one," nan president told reporters earlier this week, arsenic he predicted nan number of GOP-friendly seats that could beryllium added done redistricting successful the Lone Star State. "Just a elemental redrawing, we prime up 5 seats."

Hours earlier, Trump held a telephone pinch Texas' Republican legislature delegation and sources confirmed to Fox News that nan president told nan lawmakers that he was aiming to redraw nan maps to create 5 caller winnable seats.

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Democrats power conscionable 12 of nan state's 38 legislature districts, pinch a blue-leaning spot vacant aft nan decease successful March of Rep. Sylvester Turner.

The thought is to relocate Democratic voters from competitory seats into adjacent GOP-leaning districts, and move Republican voters into neighboring districts nan Democrats presently control.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas called for a typical convention of his state's GOP-dominated legislature to tie caller legislature maps. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)

Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, some blimpish Republicans and Trump allies, said they needed to redistrict because of law concerns raised by nan Justice Department complete a fistful of minority-dominated districts. 

But nan move is perchance risky.

"There is immoderate consequence of making safe Republican seats much competitive, and I deliberation that nan incumbents are surely worried astir that," seasoned Texas-based Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser told Fox News. "If you talk to Republican members of Congress, they're going to beryllium worried astir their ain seats. They don't want to beryllium successful a spot that's much competitive."

Steinhauser noted "that's nan tradeoff for Republicans, if you want to turn nan majority."

But he added that "the group drafting nan maps… they don't want to make immoderate spot excessively competitory because that will conclusion nan purpose."

Redistricting typically takes spot astatine nan commencement of each decade, based connected nan latest U.S. Census data. Mid-decade redistricting is uncommon – but not without precedent.

Democrats are slamming Trump and Texas Republicans for what they picture arsenic a powerfulness grab, and vowing to return ineligible action to forestall immoderate displacement successful nan existent legislature maps.

The Texas authorities Capitol successful Austin, Texas. The GOP-controlled authorities legislature meets successful typical convention adjacent week, arsenic apical Republicans push to redraw nan legislature maps. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)

"Democrats are going to push backmost aggressively because it’s nan correct point to do," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters this week.

Democrats successful blue-dominated states are now considering akin tactics.

"Two tin play this game," California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote connected societal media this week.

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The adjacent day, aft a meeting, Democrats successful California's legislature delegation said they were connected committee pinch an eager scheme to effort and summation astatine slightest 5 seats done redistricting. Democrats presently power 43 of nan Golden State's 52 legislature districts.

But it won't beryllium easy to enact nan change, because successful California, legislature maps are drawn by an independent committee that is not expected to fto partisanship power their work.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California is floating a move to redraw nan legislature maps successful his bluish state, to blunt a push by President Donald Trump and Texas Republicans to redistrict up to 5 House Democrats retired of powerfulness successful Texas. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)

Newsom this week suggested that nan state's Democratic-controlled legislature move guardant pinch a mid-decade redrawing of nan maps, arguing that it mightiness not beryllium forbidden by nan 17-year-old ballot inaugural that created nan independent commission.

The politician besides projected quickly holding a typical predetermination to repeal nan committee up of nan 2026 midterm elections.

Both plans are considered agelong shots, arsenic they would look plentifulness of legislative, ineligible and financial hurdles.

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Democrats are besides hoping to change legislature maps successful battleground Wisconsin, but nan caller wide mostly connected nan authorities Supreme Court precocious declined to perceive nan case. Democrats and their friends are now successful nan midst of a 2nd ineligible push for redistricting successful Wisconsin.

Democrats person besides revenge redistricting litigation successful Utah and Florida, which are some reddish states.

Meanwhile, Ohio is required by rule to redistrict this year, and a redrawing of nan maps successful nan red-leaning authorities could supply nan GOP pinch up to 3 much legislature seats.