AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Democrats say they’re ending a two-week walkout that stalled Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts to fulfill President Donald Trump’s calls for for a larger GOP benefit.
Democratic leaders say they are going to return for a second particular legislative session after seeing California Democratic leaders proceed with plans to redraw their very own U.S. Home maps to neutralize Republican positive aspects in Texas.
The nation’s two most populous states have been on the forefront of a nationwide battle to reshape the congressional panorama forward of the 2026 midterm elections. Trump has sought to shore up Republicans’ slender Home majority and keep away from a repeat of the 2018 midterms throughout his first presidency, when Democrats regained Home management and used their majority to stymie his agenda and twice impeach him.
Dozens of Texas Home Democrats left the state greater than two weeks in the past to disclaim the GOP majority the attendance essential to vote on redrawn maps meant to ship 5 extra Texas Republicans to Washington. They declared victory after Republicans adjourned that first session and Democrats across the nation rallied in opposition to the Trump-led gerrymandering effort.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows under.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Republicans on Monday aimed to renew pushing via redrawn U.S. Home district maps that will carve out a much bigger GOP benefit within the 2026 midterm elections after state Democrats indicated they were ready to finish a two-week walkout.
In response, California Democrats are additionally transferring forward with their very own reshaping of congressional districts to counteract Texas, placing in movement a doubtlessly widening and unusually timed redistricting battle nationwide.
The redrawing started in Texas however has been stalled since dozens of Democrats, who’re the minority in every chamber, left the state on Aug. 3, with most of them going to Illinois. The absent lawmakers had signaled they had been prepared return to Austin after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ended a primary particular session and California moved ahead with its personal plan.
The Texas Home was scheduled to attempt convening a quorum once more Monday.
Abbott put redistricting on the agenda on the urging of President Donald Trump, who desires to shore up Republicans’ slender U.S. Home majority to keep away from dropping management of the chamber, and with it, prospects for Trump’s conservative agenda within the later a part of his time period.
It’s uncommon for redistricting to happen in the course of the last decade and sometimes happens as soon as at first of every decade to coincide with the census.
Many states, together with Texas, give legislators the ability to attract maps. California is amongst people who empower impartial commissions with the duty.
The nation’s two most populous states have been on the forefront of the resulting battle, which has reached into a number of courtrooms and statehouses managed by each events.
On a nationwide degree, the partisan make-up of present district strains places Democrats inside three seats of a majority. Of the 435 complete Home seats, solely a number of dozen districts are aggressive. So even slight adjustments in a number of states may have an effect on which get together wins management.
Texas’ maps would goal to offer the GOP 5 extra winnable seats there.
California Democrats, who maintain supermajorities in each chambers — sufficient to behave with none Republican votes — on Friday unveiled a proposal that might give Democrats there an extra 5 U.S. Home seats. However any adjustments would first want the approval of state lawmakers and voters. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has mentioned that his state will hold a Nov. 4 special referendum on the redrawn districts.
