The proposed map would give Republicans control of 30 out of Texas' 38 U.S. House seats. Credit: Getty Images

Texas House Republicans have unveiled the first draft of a mid‑decade redistricting plan for the state’s 38 U.S. House districts, an unusual mid-decade move aimed at flipping five Democratic-held seats before the 2026 midterms.

The proposal, authored by GOP Rep. Todd Hunter, redraws districts in Austin, Dallas, South Texas and Houston, targeting prominent Democratic incumbents in predominantly Black and Brown communities.

“My understanding is that there is a path forward for a Republican to win five more of those seats,” said Republican state Rep. Cody Vasut, chair of the Texas House’s redistricting committee.

Texas House Republicans released a mid-decade redistricting draft aiming to boost GOP control of U.S. House seats. Credit: Capitol Data Portal

Under current lines, Republicans hold 25 out of 38 seats, and Trump carried 27 of those districts in 2024, including Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez in South Texas. The new map would boost GOP‑leaning districts to 30, each aligned with at least a 10‑point Trump margin in the last election.

“Today, I received what appears to be the proposed redistricting congressional lines for Texas. Of the many points that can be made, I shall call three to the attention of the public now and more later,” Congressman Al Green stated. “Point one: The map is extreme invidious discrimination and accomplishes what the President has demanded of the Governor and more. Two: The DOJ (Department of Justice) demanded that the race card be played, and the Governor dealt the people of Texas a racist hand. Three: I will be on the ballot and will announce more of my intentionality after I have engaged in deliberations.”

Key changes

Apart from the increase in GOP seats, white citizen-voting majority districts rose from 22 to 24, and the majority-Hispanic districts increased by one to eight.

Two majority‑Black districts would be created, including the 18th in Houston (vacant since Congressman Sylvester Turner’s death).

This would give Democrats bigger margins in districts they already have a high chance of winning, such as those represented by Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Rep. Joaquin Castro in San Antonio and Rep. Sylvia Garcia in Houston. It also moves Republican voters to districts currently represented by Democrats, like U.S. Reps. Julie Johnson and Greg Casar, per the Texas Tribune.

 

Specific district overhauls

The 9th District, represented by Green, would shift east into eastern Harris County, a Trump-leaning seat under new lines, reversing its current deep blue status. The open 18th District, formerly held by Sylvester Turner, would be reshaped into a solidly Black-majority seat, increasing Democratic concentration. Presidential candidate Kamala Harris would hypothetically have received around 76% in it (instead of 69%) based on 2024 results under new contours. Garcia’s District 29 would undergo voter redistribution to pack Democrats into fewer districts while moving GOP voters into more competitive zones.

“The new redistricting maps out of Austin are exactly what we believed they would be: a power grab, driven by the felon in the White House, one which will likely be rubber-stamped by Governor (Greg) Abbott and his MAGA Republican allies,” Garcia said in a statement. “This isn’t just about TX-29. This is about every voter in Texas who expects fair representation. It’s about protecting the American principle that people choose their elected leaders, not the other way around.”

In Austin, the redrawn map would merge the districts held by U.S. Reps. Casar and Lloyd Doggett, forcing either a primary clash or one to run in a newly crafted San Antonio‑based seat inclining Republican. Casar’s seat would include south Bexar County and more rural areas, excluding the Austin area.

“Merging the 35th and the 37th districts is illegal voter suppression of Black and Latino Central Texans,” Casar said in a statement. “If Trump is allowed to rip the Voting Rights Act to shreds here in Central Texas, his ploy will spread like wildfire across the country. Everyone who cares about our democracy must mobilize against this illegal map.”

Additionally, Vicente Gonzalez’s 34th District, a Latino-majority South Texas district, is designed to pick up more presumed Republican voters, while the 28th District, represented by Henry Cuellar’s heavily Hispanic South Texas seat, would no longer extend into San Antonio’s South Side.

In Dallas‑Fort Worth, U.S. Rep. Johnson’s 32nd District in Dallas would extend into rural areas and be reshaped to favor Republicans. Marc Veasey’s seat would remove Fort Worth entirely, potentially triggering a primary with Crockett or Johnson if redrawn lines overlap.

What this means

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According to State Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons, this mid‑decade map bypasses the usual post‑census cycle and has been actively supported by President Trump, who reportedly pressed GOP leaders to redraw lines targeting five seats.

Democrats have sharply criticized the plan as partisan gerrymandering and a potential violation of civil rights protections. Echoing past walkouts, some Democratic lawmakers are considering quorum‑breaking tactics, including fleeing the state, to delay passage. Fines of up to $500 per day for absences have been threatened.

Next steps

A public committee hearing is scheduled soon at the state Capitol. If passed by both chambers, the map would require Gov. Abbott’s signature before the special session ends on August 19, 2025. The map’s final form could still shift before full approval.

If enacted, the plan would shift power sharply in favor of Texas Republicans, potentially boosting their share of U.S. House seats to 79%. It could also embolden parallel efforts in Democratic regions nationwide.

Following meetings with the governors of California and Illinois, a new delegation of Texas House Democrats left the state to meet with New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. 

“We’re traveling to meet with leaders who put people first in a crisis,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Joe Moody. “Stealing elections doesn’t rebuild a single Texas life. We’re seeking serious, productive conversations with other governors about how to solve the real problems Texans expect and deserve their leaders to solve.”

Redistricting Committee Vice Chair Jon Rosenthal added that the redistricting plan dilutes the voices of Black and Brown communities. 

“Our message to leaders across the country has been simple: if they can steal five seats in Texas by breaking the rules, your state is next,” Rosenthal said. “It’s happening because they know they will be held accountable in a fair election for the damage they’ve done to Texas families.”

The Democratic National Convention is also planning to thwart GOP efforts by mobilizing volunteers to contact persuadable Republicans and independent voters and make sure they know exactly who is responsible for Texas Republicans’ trying to disenfranchise voters even more than they already have.

I cover education, housing, and politics in Houston for the Houston Defender Network as a Report for America corps member. I graduated with a master of science in journalism from the University of Southern...