Texas Senate Approves GOP-Backed Congressional Map, Sends to Governor’s Desk [WATCH]

The Texas Senate gave final approval early Saturday to a new Republican-drawn congressional map, sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature.

The map, strongly backed by President Donald Trump, is designed to add five new districts favorable to Republicans, with the goal of helping the GOP preserve its narrow majority in Congress during the 2026 midterm elections.

🚨 BREAKING: The full Texas Legislature has officially approved the new 2026 US House map, which is set to add +5 Republican seats.

Governor Greg Abbott can now sign it.

The Democrats’ attempt to block it failed, miserably. pic.twitter.com/TVWDkmUp7l

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 23, 2025

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Abbott, a Republican, is expected to sign the measure quickly.

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Democrats, however, have pledged to challenge the map in court, setting the stage for a legal battle over the redistricting plan.

The Republican-led push in Texas sparked a two-week walkout by Democratic legislators earlier in the process, part of an effort to block a vote on the map.

The final Senate debate stretched late into Friday, with Democrats attempting last-minute tactics to delay passage.

State Sen. Carol Alvarado, head of the Senate Democratic caucus, announced plans to filibuster the bill with a long speech.

She said on social media she intended to speak for several hours to push off the final vote, writing, “Republicans think they can walk all over us. Today I’m going to kick back. I’ve submitted my intention to filibuster the new congressional maps. Going to be a long night.”

The effort did not succeed.

BREAKING 🚨 At Midnight the Texas Senate has officially passed the Redistricting Redrawn Map 🔥

TIME FOR EVERY RED STATE TO DO THE SAME

THIS IS A HUGE WIN pic.twitter.com/V76f581r3J

— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) August 23, 2025

Shortly before Alvarado’s planned speech, the Senate recessed for a lengthy dinner break, preventing the filibuster from starting on schedule.

Her attempt was the latest in a series of Democratic efforts to stall the measure, which included earlier walkouts and floor debates.

The state House had passed the map on Wednesday after extended arguments and procedural fights.

Sen. Phil King, the Republican sponsor of the measure, defended the new map against Democratic claims that it diluted minority voting power in violation of the Voting Rights Act.

King said his goals were straightforward: “I had two goals in mind: That all maps would be legal and would be better for Republican congressional candidates in Texas.”

He warned that failing to pass the measure would jeopardize Republican control of the U.S. House.

“There is extreme risk the Republican majority will be lost” without the new districts, King said.

Trump has urged Republican-controlled legislatures in Texas and other states to redraw congressional boundaries to secure additional GOP seats. The president has also pushed similar efforts in Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio.

The dispute in Texas comes amid a wider national fight over redistricting.

California Democrats responded directly to the Texas move by approving legislation on Thursday for a special election in November to allow voters to consider a redrawn congressional map designed to give Democrats five more seats.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill the same day, saying, “This is not something six weeks ago that I ever imagined that I’d be doing. This is a reaction to an assault on our democracy in Texas.”

Abbott criticized California’s approach, calling it unconstitutional and predicting it would be overturned.

“Republicans are not finished in the United States,” Abbott said Friday.

He added that while Texas’ plan complies with constitutional requirements, California’s map, if approved by voters, would face legal challenges.

The clash between Texas and California highlights a growing state-by-state battle over congressional control. Redistricting traditionally occurs once a decade following the census, but states may redraw maps mid-decade if their laws permit.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that partisan gerrymandering is not prohibited under the Constitution, though redistricting based on race is unlawful.

The new map has already begun to reshape Texas’ political landscape.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, the longest-serving Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation, announced Thursday that he would not run for reelection if the new map is enacted.

His Austin-based district would overlap with the territory of another Democratic representative, Rep. Greg Casar, under the redrawn lines.

Elsewhere, Ohio Republicans are scheduled to revise their districts to further strengthen their party’s position, while other Republican-led states have indicated they may follow suit.

Democrats, by contrast, are constrained in many states by voter-approved commissions or constitutional limits.

In New York, new maps cannot be drawn until 2028, and even then, only with voter approval.

California adopted its independent redistricting commission through voter initiatives in 2008 and 2010 to prevent partisan manipulation.

The partisan struggle has prompted warnings from some lawmakers about the risks of escalating tactics.

California Assemblyman James Gallagher, the Republican minority leader, criticized both parties, saying that Trump’s push for more GOP seats was misguided but that Newsom’s response of “fight fire with fire” carried greater danger.

“You move forward fighting fire with fire and what happens? You burn it all down,” Gallagher said.

With the 2026 midterms on the horizon, the outcome of the redistricting fight in Texas and other battleground states will play a major role in determining control of the U.S. House of Representatives.