Abbott announces redistricting will be included in Texas special session
The governor said in a release that the session will tackle '[legislation] that provides a revised congressional redistricting plan in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.'
Abbott said last month he would be calling a special session, noting a handful of bills that were either filed without signature or were vetoed that would be under consideration during the special session. However, those items did not initially include redistricting.
'We delivered on historic legislation in the 89th Regular Legislative Session that will benefit Texans for generations to come,' Abbott said in the release Wednesday. 'There is more work to be done, particularly in the aftermath of the devastating floods in the Texas Hill Country. We must ensure better preparation for such events in the future.'
His announcement comes after reporting last month that President Trump's political team was pushing for midcycle redistricting.
Though Texas is not due to draw new House lines until after the 2030 census, Republicans are looking to defend a narrow 220-212 House majority next year and are contending with the traditional headwinds typically associated with the president's party during midterm cycles.
The inclusion of redistricting in Texas' special session drew a strong rebuke from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) who criticized the governor for his handling of the deadly flooding in Texas, saying further that in a statement that 'Instead of aggressively addressing the failures of his administration, Governor Abbott and shameless extremists are conspiring with Donald Trump and House Republicans to try to rig the election and disenfranchise millions of voters.'
Republicans control the state Legislature, governor's office and state Supreme Court, meaning the party will be able to easily overcome any Democratic opposition to redrawing the state's maps. However, it remains unclear how that litigation could play out if it makes its way through the federal court system, particularly as the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Alabama's maps in 2023 for likely violating the Voting Rights Act.
Another looming question is whether redistricting the maps could endanger Republicans in nearby districts and make their seats potentially more competitive.
Jeffries projected confidence in his statement that the redistricting effort would put several more seats in play for Democrats.
'House Democrats will push back hard against this gerrymandering scheme. We are confident that if it goes through, it will result in making several incumbent House Republicans vulnerable to fierce general election challenges,' he said.
Updated at 8:44 p.m. EDT.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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