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The Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Texas redistricting battle sparks national fight for Congress control
TEXAS: The political battle over Texas' congressional redistricting is escalating into a nationwide fight, with Republicans and Democrats locked in an unprecedented mid-decade arms race to control the U.S. House of Representatives. At the urging of former President Donald Trump, Texas Republicans have proposed new congressional maps aimed at flipping five Democrat-held House seats in the 2024 midterms. The move intensifies partisan tensions, as Democrats warn of retaliatory redistricting efforts in blue states like California and Illinois. 'Donald Trump is a cheater, and so is Governor Greg Abbott,' said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, standing alongside Texas Democrats who fled the state to block the GOP's redistricting vote. 'As far as I'm concerned, everything is on the table.' Redistricting typically occurs every decade after the U.S. Census, but Trump has pushed for an unusual mid-cycle redraw, arguing Republicans deserve more seats after his strong 2020 Texas performance. 'I won Texas. I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, and we are entitled to five more seats,' Trump told CNBC. Democrats, needing only three more seats to reclaim the House majority, fear GOP-led redistricting in Texas, Florida, and other states could derail their 2024 prospects. Meanwhile, Democratic governors like California's Gavin Newsom are threatening countermeasures. 'If Texas moves forward, we will respond,' Newsom said. Legal battles loom as Texas Governor Abbott filed an emergency lawsuit to remove Democratic lawmakers who fled the state. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton also vowed to pursue court orders against absent legislators. However, legal experts note that courts have historically upheld lawmakers' right to break quorum as a political tactic. The standoff underscores how redistricting, once a routine process, has become a high-stakes weapon in America's partisan warfare. With both sides digging in, the fight over congressional maps could shape U.S. politics for years to come. - Reuters
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Trump-led Texas redistricting gambit ignites national arms race to control Congress
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Illinois Governor JB Pritzker attends a news conference held by Texas Democratic lawmakers after leaving the state to deny Republicans the quorum needed to redraw Texas' 38 congressional districts, in Aurora, Illinois, U.S. August 5, 2025. REUTERS/Tom Krawczyk The escalating political fight over the Texas congressional map is spreading across other states across the country, triggering an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting arms race with the balance of power in Washington at stake. At President Donald Trump's urging, Texas Republicans have proposed new congressional districts aimed at flipping five Democrat-held U.S. House seats in next year's midterm elections, further skewing what is already considered a deeply partisan map in that state. In response, Democratic governors elsewhere - most notably Gavin Newsom of California, the only state with more congressional districts than Texas - have threatened to retaliate by mounting their own redistricting efforts. "Donald Trump is a cheater, and so is Governor Greg Abbott," JB Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois, told reporters on Tuesday. Standing alongside him were several of the Democratic lawmakers from Texas who fled their home state on Monday to deny Republicans a quorum and prevent a vote on the proposed new map. "As far as I'm concerned, everything is on the table," Pritzker said. Democrats need to flip only three Republican-held seats to retake the majority in the 435-seat House next year, so even modest gains for either party via redistricting could prove decisive. If Democrats win the House, they could stymie much of Trump's legislative agenda and pursue multiple investigations into his administration. The practice of partisan gerrymandering - manipulating district lines to benefit one party over another - has a long tradition in the United States, but the advent of powerful software and sophisticated voter data has allowed mapmakers to drill down to individual streets and neighborhoods. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore More train rides taken in first half-year, but overall public transport use stays below 2019 levels Singapore BlueSG needs time to develop software, refresh fleet, say ex-insiders after winding-down news Asia Cambodia-Thailand border clash a setback for Asean: Vivian Balakrishnan Singapore 'She had a whole life ahead of her': Boyfriend mourns Yishun fatal crash victim Singapore Doctor hounded ex-girlfriend, threatened to share her intimate photos, abducted her off street Asia Trump's transactional foreign policy fuels 'US scepticism' in Taiwan Business Women on corporate boards give firms a competitive advantage, says Australian Governor-General Singapore CEO of sports car distributor accused of offences including multiple counts of false trading Redistricting typically occurs every 10 years to incorporate the U.S. Census count. Trump has broken with that convention by openly pushing Texas Republicans to pursue a rare mid-decade redistricting for partisan gain, even though the existing map, which Republicans drew just four years ago, resulted in the party winning 25 of the state's 38 seats. "I won Texas. I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are entitled to five more seats," Trump told CNBC on Tuesday, referring to the 2024 presidential election. Trump has encouraged other Republican states to follow suit. A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters last week the administration believes as many as five states could redraw their maps, including Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis has expressed a willingness to take such a step. DEMOCRATS VOW TO FIGHT BACK Ohio Republicans will draw a new map ahead of the November 2026 election that could flip at least two Democratic seats. In Missouri, where Democrats hold two of the state's seven seats, some Republican lawmakers have had preliminary conversations about a new map, according to a source familiar with the matter. Other Republican-controlled states that could in theory use redistricting to target Democrats include Kansas, Kentucky and New Hampshire. Democrats, meanwhile, face some legal hurdles in their biggest states. In California, where redistricting is overseen by an independent commission, voters would likely have to approve giving Democratic lawmakers the power to draw a new map. Newsom said on Monday he would put the issue before voters this autumn if Texas moves forward. Experts say a Democratic-drawn map could easily target five Republican incumbents, even though Democrats already hold 43 of the state's 52 seats. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said on Monday that she would not "fight with my hand tied behind my back." Even so, any new map in her state would require voters to approve a constitutional amendment, and that process cannot take place before 2026. In Illinois, where Pritzker and the Democratic-controlled legislature have no restraints, Democrats already hold 14 of the state's 17 U.S. House seats, leaving them without much room to maneuver. THREATS TO TEXAS DEMOCRATS Meanwhile, in Texas, the Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, said on Tuesday he would seek court orders declaring that any Democratic lawmakers who failed to return by Friday will lose their seats. Democrats have dismissed that threat as empty. David Froomkin, a law professor at the University of Houston, said he did not believe judges would buy the argument that lawmakers had created vacancies by leaving the state in protest. "Courts have generally taken the view that a legislator has surrendered their seat when they have chosen to surrender their seat," he said. "Here, they're not intending to vacate their offices – they're exercising their offices by trying to prevent the passage of legislation they find troubling." Paxton's threat follows warrants issued by the Republican Speaker of the Texas House, Dustin Burrows, for authorities to bring the absent lawmakers back to the statehouse for a vote. Abbott has ordered state law enforcement to help find them. But the Democrats have all left the state, putting them beyond the reach of any state agency. Trump told reporters late on Tuesday that the FBI 'may have' to get involved in forcing Democrats back to Texas. REUTERS
The Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Trump-led Texas redistricting gambit ignites national arms race to control Congress
(Reuters) -The escalating political fight over the Texas congressional map is spreading across other states across the country, triggering an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting arms race with the balance of power in Washington at stake. At President Donald Trump's urging, Texas Republicans have proposed new congressional districts aimed at flipping five Democrat-held U.S. House seats in next year's midterm elections, further skewing what is already considered a deeply partisan map in that state. In response, Democratic governors elsewhere - most notably Gavin Newsom of California, the only state with more congressional districts than Texas - have threatened to retaliate by mounting their own redistricting efforts. "Donald Trump is a cheater, and so is Governor Greg Abbott," JB Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois, told reporters on Tuesday. Standing alongside him were several of the Democratic lawmakers from Texas who fled their home state on Monday to deny Republicans a quorum and prevent a vote on the proposed new map. "As far as I'm concerned, everything is on the table," Pritzker said. Democrats need to flip only three Republican-held seats to retake the majority in the 435-seat House next year, so even modest gains for either party via redistricting could prove decisive. If Democrats win the House, they could stymie much of Trump's legislative agenda and pursue multiple investigations into his administration. The practice of partisan gerrymandering - manipulating district lines to benefit one party over another - has a long tradition in the United States, but the advent of powerful software and sophisticated voter data has allowed mapmakers to drill down to individual streets and neighborhoods. Redistricting typically occurs every 10 years to incorporate the U.S. Census count. Trump has broken with that convention by openly pushing Texas Republicans to pursue a rare mid-decade redistricting for partisan gain, even though the existing map, which Republicans drew just four years ago, resulted in the party winning 25 of the state's 38 seats. "I won Texas. I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are entitled to five more seats," Trump told CNBC on Tuesday, referring to the 2024 presidential election. Trump has encouraged other Republican states to follow suit. A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters last week the administration believes as many as five states could redraw their maps, including Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis has expressed a willingness to take such a step. DEMOCRATS VOW TO FIGHT BACK Ohio Republicans will draw a new map ahead of the November 2026 election that could flip at least two Democratic seats. In Missouri, where Democrats hold two of the state's seven seats, some Republican lawmakers have had preliminary conversations about a new map, according to a source familiar with the matter. Other Republican-controlled states that could in theory use redistricting to target Democrats include Kansas, Kentucky and New Hampshire. Democrats, meanwhile, face some legal hurdles in their biggest states. In California, where redistricting is overseen by an independent commission, voters would likely have to approve giving Democratic lawmakers the power to draw a new map. Newsom said on Monday he would put the issue before voters this autumn if Texas moves forward. Experts say a Democratic-drawn map could easily target five Republican incumbents, even though Democrats already hold 43 of the state's 52 seats. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said on Monday that she would not "fight with my hand tied behind my back." Even so, any new map in her state would require voters to approve a constitutional amendment, and that process cannot take place before 2026. In Illinois, where Pritzker and the Democratic-controlled legislature have no restraints, Democrats already hold 14 of the state's 17 U.S. House seats, leaving them without much room to maneuver. THREATS TO TEXAS DEMOCRATS Meanwhile, in Texas, the Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, said on Tuesday he would seek court orders declaring that any Democratic lawmakers who failed to return by Friday will lose their seats. Democrats have dismissed that threat as empty. David Froomkin, a law professor at the University of Houston, said he did not believe judges would buy the argument that lawmakers had created vacancies by leaving the state in protest. "Courts have generally taken the view that a legislator has surrendered their seat when they have chosen to surrender their seat," he said. "Here, they're not intending to vacate their offices – they're exercising their offices by trying to prevent the passage of legislation they find troubling." Paxton's threat follows warrants issued by the Republican Speaker of the Texas House, Dustin Burrows, for authorities to bring the absent lawmakers back to the statehouse for a vote. Abbott has ordered state law enforcement to help find them. But the Democrats have all left the state, putting them beyond the reach of any state agency. Trump told reporters late on Tuesday that the FBI 'may have' to get involved in forcing Democrats back to Texas. (Reporting by Joseph Ax in New York; Additional reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Frank McGurty and Howard Goller)
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
These Texas Democrats are at risk under proposed GOP maps
Texas Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a proposal for new congressional maps after President Trump called for the Lone Star State to create five new House seats ahead of the midterms. The proposed maps, filed as Texas lawmakers meet for a special session initially called after Gov. Greg Abbott (R) vetoed a ban on THC, could help Republicans protect their narrow 219-212 House majority by redrawing some Democrat-held seats to incorporate far more Republican voters. If Republicans succeed, they would also, in a reprise of the pivotal redistricting campaign of 2003, destroy the districts of a cadre of progressive Democratic leaders. The GOP already holds 25 of the state's 38 congressional seats, but the changes could boost them to a 30-8 red advantage — though the draft could change as it works toward approval in the state chambers and faces pushback from Democrats. It would also have ramifications for the balance of power within Texas, at least as it pertains to the state's relationship with the federal government. That's because the new map strips one Congressional seat each from the Democratic-controlled urban powerhouses of Houston, Dallas and Austin-San Antonio — cities that offer the main locus of opposition to the state's Republican leaders and Congressional majority. Here are some of the Texas Democrats and districts that could be impacted by the proposed lines: Greg Casar & Lloyd Doggett Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, speaks during a news conference about the threat of default with members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Wednesday, May 24, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) One of the biggest changes to the map is in Rep. Greg Casar's (D-Texas) 35th Congressional district around Austin and San Antonio, which went to former Vice President Harris by 33 points in November — while the state went to Trump by 14 points overall. Since his election to Congress in 2022, Casar, a former labor organizer and Austin city councilman, has emerged as part of a new generation of progressive leaders and currently chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The new map would take Casar's district out of his Austin power base, creating a new +10 Trump district outside of San Antonio, according to analysis on X by Dave Wasserman, the senior editor of Cook Political Report. But while that 'nukes' Casar's district, he argued that in a good midterm year Democrats could still hold that seat. Casar, who has referred to redistricting as a 'five alarm fire,' called the destruction of his district 'illegal voter suppression of Black and Latino Central Texans, Casar said on X. The changes could set up a potential primary matchup with Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D), who leads what's currently the 37th District. 'By merging our Central Texas districts, Trump wants to commit yet another crime— this time, against Texas voters and against The Voting Rights Act,' Casar said. Doggett said on X that his 'sole focus' at this point is 'defeating this Trump-imposed gerrymandering.' 'Trump is taking a hatchet to chop up Austin and our state with the sole objective of maintaining his one-man rule.' Julie Johnson & Marc Veasey Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. The new map reshapes Texas's 32nd and 33rd Congressional Districts, currently held by Democratic Reps. Julie Johnson and Marc Veasey, respectively. The shift creates a new Dallas Fort Worth-area +18 Trump seat in the 32nd, according to analysis by Wasserman, on X — a strong pickup opportunity for the GOP. Tarrant County, the urban county that includes Fort Worth and is split between the 32nd and 33rd, is the last of Texas's major urban counties that is controlled by Republicans and a bastion of the state's far right, with whom Veasey has been locked in a contest as part of a broader Democratic attempt to flip the county. Veasy's district would remain blue under the new proposal, according to the analysis from the Texas Tribune, but lose his Fort Worth hometown. In a scathing statement on Wednesday, Veasey blasted the proposed maps as 'part of a long, ugly tradition of trying to keep Black and brown [Texans] from having a voice' and underscored Trump's push for the changes. 'Republicans are bending their knee to a wannabe king, drawing maps in backrooms to appease a man who tried to overthrow an election and now wants to overthrow the will of Texans.' Johnson called the map a 'disaster' and a 'desperate move from a party losing its grip on a changing state.' Part of Johnson's district would also shift to Texas's 30th, held by Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), according to analysis from The Texan. Crockett on Wednesday blasted the proposed lines that 'cut 5 Democratic seats out of thin air,' calling it 'a power grab to silence voters and suppress votes.' Henry Cuellar & Vicente Gonzalez Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), left; Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), right. The Republican map is kinder to conservative Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar, one of Congress's last anti-abortion Democrats, whom the national party backed in his exceedingly narrow victory over progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros in 2022. Under the new map, Cuellar's 28th Congressional District would move to a slightly stronger Trump district — from +7 to +10, according to Wasserman. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez's (D-Texas) seat in the 34th Congressional District would similarly shift from a +5 to +10 Trump district. But the changes for both Cuellar and Gonzalez 'are potentially survivable given ancestral Dem ties & a midterm without Trump on the ballot,' the analyst said on X. A campaign spokesperson told The Hill that Cuellar 'looks forward to continuing to serve the people of South Texas in Congress and advancing the issues that matter most to them.' 'What they forget is that I'm still a lawyer,' Gonzalez said in a statement. 'We will fight this disgraceful attempt to cheat Lone Star State voters in Federal Court, and will win again in an era where Trump is deeply underwater.' Al Green Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) speaks during a House Financial Services Committee hearing on oversight on Capitol Hill in Washington. Among the proposal's dramatic shifts, Rep. Al Green's (D-Texas) seat in the 9th Congressional District would also merge with the empty Democratic slot vacated by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner. That would yield a safe Democratic seat in the 18th, offset by a new 9th in the more conservative suburbs east of Houston that Wasserman said could be 'a pretty safe GOP pickup.' A special election is ongoing to fill the vacancy for Turner's former seat. 'Let's call this what it is: Greg Abbott and Texas Republicans are trying to wipe Black and Brown communities off the political map. It's a slap in the face to the very folks who built this state,' said Christian Menefee, a former Harris County Attorney who's considered the favorite for Turner's old seat, in a statement. 'We're not backing down. We'll fight like hell to stop it,' Menefee said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposed Texas redistricting map would drastically shift Democrat-held seats
The Brief Texas lawmakers released the first draft of the newly proposed congressional map on Wednesday. The new map would shift several democratically held seats in the state. President Trump has said he would like to see Republicans gain five seats in the U.S. House of Representatives through Texas' redistricting. AUSTIN, Texas - The first draft of Texas' new congressional map was released on Wednesday. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said he would like to gain five congressional seats through a midterm redistricting effort in the state. The proposed changes mostly impact Democrat-held districts in the state's major metropolitan areas. READ MORE:'Meet fire with fire': O'Rourke says Democrats need aggressive approach to Texas redistricting While Republicans control 25 of the state's 38 Congressional districts, lawmakers are trying to relocate Democratic voters from competitive seats into more Republican-leaning districts and move more Republicans into democratically controlled districts. What they're saying "Texas Republicans have finally revealed their new redistricting map, and unsurprisingly, it is drawn to represent Donald Trump, not the voices of Texans," Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder said. "It is illegally drawn in a way that silences the voices of minority communities across Texas. When Donald Trump knows he can't win, he cheats, and Texas Republicans just proved they are unable to stand up to their wannabe dictator. Texas congressional districts should belong to Texans, who choose their representatives, but this proposed map lets the representatives pick their voters instead. This is designed for Donald Trump, not for Texans. Texas Democrats will use every available method to oppose this racist, desperate power grab. Nothing is off the table." Dallas-Fort Worth changes The new map targets three Democrat-held districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of the state. In District 33, the seat held by Marc Veasey, the new map would remove all the portions of Tarrant County that he currently represents. The new map would also reshape District 32, which is currently held by Democrat Julie Johnson. The revised district would favor Republicans. READ MORE: Arlington hearing sees strong pushback against redrawing congressional maps Central Texas changes In Central Texas, Democrats Greg Casar and Lloyd Doggett would find their districts vastly different from the current map. The district currently held by Casar would no longer include Travis County, while the district held by Doggett would no longer include a portion of Williamson County. Both Casar and Doggett issued statements on the new map Wednesday, which essentially merges the two districts. What they're saying "Merging the 35th and the 37th districts is illegal voter suppression of Black and Latino Central Texans. By merging our Central Texas districts, Trump wants to commit yet another crime— this time, against Texas voters and against Martin Luther King's Voting Rights Act of 1965," Casar said. "United, we will fight back with everything we've 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." Doggett called the map a move by Trump to maintain "his one-man rule." "This is designed to eliminate accessibility, accountability, and a strong voice for our shared values," Doggett said. "For years, Republicans have failed in their attempts to use redistricting to get rid of me. If we continue working together, they will fail again. If Trump and his cowardly Republican accomplices get away with rigging Texas, voters in states across America will be at risk. For now, my sole focus is on defeating this Trump-imposed gerrymandering, which relies on crooked lines instead of honest votes. The only 'What if' that matters is 'What if this crooked scheme is approved to give Trump a rubber stamp to do whatever he pleases.'" Houston-area changes In Houston, the new map reshapes four currently Democrat-held districts. The biggest change to the districts would be in the seat currently held by Rep. Al Green. The new map would shift the district from covering southern Harris County and instead move it to the eastern part of the county. Could Texas Democrats leave the state to block quorum? What's next As the debate on redistricting continues, Texas Democrats are considering their options to hold off the vote. Democrat lawmakers could break quorum, a strategy used in 2021 when lawmakers flew to Washington, D.C., over changes to election laws. However, in 2023, the state legislature passed a law saying that those who break quorum face a $500 fine each day they're absent. Sources confirm to FOX 4 that some Democratic donors have offered to pay the fines. Wilson says this is teetering on the line of violating campaign finance laws. The move would come with other challenges as well. If Republicans wait to pass final flood relief measures until redistricting has been considered, and Democrats leave the state, breaking quorum could hold up both bills. The Source Information in this article comes from maps released by the Texas Legislature and previous FOX 4 reporting. Solve the daily Crossword
