New York State lawmakers respond to redistricting issue in Texas
The proposed congressional map is expected to grant Republicans an advantage in five additional districts, shifting the political balance in the state.
Many of these Texas lawmakers have stated that they will remain out of state until the special legislative session concludes, asserting that they are defending the integrity of American voting rights. President Donald Trump has weighed in on the matter, supporting the GOP's stance and saying Republicans deserve five more congressional seats.
In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul has also commented on the ongoing redistricting debate in Texas. Hochul suggested that New York could be next to modify its redistricting laws. Speaking at a state capital news conference on Tuesday, the governor strongly defended Texas Democrats' actions, condemning the Republican push to redraw electoral maps as creating 'a war' against the political opposition.
'This will have implications not just in Texas, but for our entire nation and its future,' Hochul said.
On Monday, six Texas Democrats fled to Albany to block the Texan Republican effort. These lawmakers have labeled the Republican push as a 'dangerous power grab,' with Hochul saying, 'Republicans know they'll lose the elections, but to subvert the will of the people, they're hell-bent on rigging the system.'
Currently, Republicans hold a narrow advantage in the U.S. House of Representatives with 219 seats compared to the Democrats' 212. With four upcoming vacancies, a shift in control is still possible.
Shawn Donahue, a political science professor at the University at Buffalo, noted that the situation in Texas is unusual.
'There was no court that threw out these district lines in Texas, and in fact, Republicans had actually been the ones that had drawn the districts for 2022 and 2024,' Donahue said.
Like Texas, New York lawmakers have the power to redraw both state and congressional districts every 10 years following the decennial census. Hochul has raised the possibility of initiating redistricting sooner, which has sparked reactions from state lawmakers across the aisle.
Democratic Congressman Tim Kennedy spoke out against Republican efforts in Texas, calling it 'fighting fire with fire.'
'It's not allowing the people of Texas to take away the representation here in New York,' he said.
However, Republican Congressman Nick Langworthy strongly disagreed.
'She can't do that before the midterm elections. That's all political posturing,' Langworthy said. 'I don't believe the voters of New York will stand for it. They stopped her last time she tried to meddle with these affairs.'
Kennedy, however, continues to argue that the Republican strategy in Texas is part of a larger, troubling trend.
'A total attack on democracy,' he said. 'What Republicans are doing midway through this decade is they're trying to change the lines to benefit the politicians rather than the people.'
In response to the ongoing debate, an amendment to the New York State Constitution has been introduced. The amendment would allow mid-decade congressional redistricting, but only if other states first make similar changes to their maps.
Donahue said the amendment process is, 'a fairly straightforward process to amend the Constitution in New York. It's just not a quick process. You have to have two separately elected state legislatures approve identical language for a constitutional amendment that would eventually go to the voters.'
If the amendment passes, the earliest it could take effect would be for the 2028 elections.
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Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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