Overview
- Governor Greg Abbott convened the special session during the summer recess to fast-track redistricting outside the usual decennial cycle.
- At least 51 Texas House Democrats, including Rep. Greg Casar, have fled the state to block quorum, exposing themselves to potential civil fines for unauthorized absences.
- The proposed map would eliminate Casar’s district, merge it with Lloyd Doggett’s, and reconfigure Henry Cuéllar’s and Vicente González’s seats to favor Republicans.
- Unified Republican control of the governorship and legislature could allow Texas to boost its U.S. House delegation from 25 to 30 of 38 seats if the plan is approved.
- President Donald Trump’s team is considering similar mid-decade redistricting strategies in states like Missouri to strengthen GOP margins ahead of the 2026 midterms.