Texas Senate approves new congressional map in rare mid-decade redistricting move

• On Aug. 12, the Texas Senate passed new congressional district lines in a rare mid-decade redistricting move to strengthen Republican control in future U.S. House elections.
• Nine Senate Democrats walked out in protest, denouncing the process as corrupt and undemocratic. Meanwhile, the absence of 60 House Democrats, many of whom fled the state, has paralyzed the legislative process.
• Republican leaders issued civil arrest warrants, imposed $500-per-day fines and threatened expulsion of absent members. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows warned the session could adjourn if the standoff continues.
• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pledged to call another special session with the same agenda if needed and suggested expanding the session’s scope to push through the redistricting plan.
• Two senior Senate Democrats, who stayed to vote no, said prior experience taught them quorum breaks only delay the inevitable, urging the fight be taken to the courts instead.

The Texas Senate has approved new congressional district lines in a rare mid-decade redistricting effort that could bolster Republican efforts to maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 elections.

The new map, passed on a 19-2 vote Tuesday, Aug. 12, would solidify Republican advantages across several districts and potentially pit incumbent Democrats against one another. The absence of House Democrats has stalled the redistricting effort so far, denying the chamber the quorum needed to vote on the bill.

In line with this, Republican leaders have ramped up pressure on the missing Democrats. For instance, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows warned that same day that they would adjourn the special session on Aug. 15 if the impasse continues. Patrick said the Senate “will continue passing this map each legislative session to accurately reflect our state until House Democrats return from their ‘vacation’ and get back to work for the people of Texas.” Meanwhile, Burrows signed civil arrest warrants for those who fled the Capitol, while Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton asked the state Supreme Court to consider expelling absent members from their seats.

Abbott also pledged to immediately call a second special session with the same agenda and hinted at adding new items to the docket. Lawmakers who are skipping the session are also being fined $500 per day. (Related: Gov. Greg Abbott asks Texas Supreme Court to remove Rep. Gene Wu from office amid legislative walkout over redistricting.)

The Senate-approved map now awaits action in the Texas House, which remains paralyzed for a second week due to the absence of 60 Democrats, including at least 50 members. These Democrats have left the state for cities such as Chicago, New York and Boston to break quorum and stall the legislative process.

If enacted, the map could help Republicans pad their House majority in Washington during a critical post-midterm cycle.

Texas Senate Democrats walk out over GOP redistricting push, but two veterans stay behind

That day, nine Senate Democrats staged a dramatic walkout just before the vote as a form of protest, accusing Republicans of engineering a “corrupt process” to cement partisan power.

“This mid-decade redistricting isn’t about fair representation, it’s about politicians picking their voters instead of voters choosing their leaders,” the Senate Democratic Caucus said. “And it doesn’t stop here. If they can gerrymander now, they can and will do it before every election.”

However, two Senate Democrats, Judith Zaffirini of Laredo and Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa of McAllen, remained to cast votes against the measure. The pair, veterans of the 2003 redistricting standoff when they spent 45 days in New Mexico to block GOP efforts, said their decision was shaped by experience.

“We learned that quorum breaks can delay but not defeat this effort,” Zaffirini and Hinojosa said in a joint statement. “Legislators cannot stay away forever, and the Governor will call as many special sessions as needed to prevail. Our greatest hope is at the courthouse, and the sooner we get there, the better.”

Visit CancelDemocrats.news for more stories like this.

Watch this clip of a similar incident four years ago, wherein Sen. Bryan Hughes said a state law allowed the arrests of 51 Democrats who left Texas to block voting restrictions.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

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Texas redistricting showdown escalates: Abbott sues to remove Democrat leader over quorum break.

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GOP Texas House Speaker issues arrest warrants for 52 Dems who refuse to show up and do their jobs.

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Sources include:

YourNews.com

TexasTribune.org

Brighteon.com