Overview

• Organizers reported demonstrations in 200 to 300 U.S. cities on August 16–17 under the 'Fight the Trump Takeover' banner, with tens of thousands participating and about 5,000 protesters in Austin.
• More than 50 Texas Democratic state representatives remain in exile in Illinois to deny Republicans the quorum needed for a vote on the redistricting plan.
• Governor Greg Abbott has called consecutive special sessions but Republicans have not yet secured the votes to approve the mid-decade map.
• President Trump publicly declared that Texas is “entitled to five more seats,” framing the out-of-cycle redraw as a justification for his party’s expansion efforts.
• Analysts warn that gerrymandering could determine nearly 200 of 435 House seats, driving other states to propose counter-plans and foreshadowing legal challenges before the 2026 midterms.