Texas state Rep. Jolanda “Jo” Jones looks through congressional maps during a redistricting hearing at the Texas Capitol in Austin on July 24.
Eric Gay/AP
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Eric Gay/AP
Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives have released a proposed new redistricting map that seeks to fulfill President Trump’s desire to add up to five additional GOP congressional seats in the state.
New district lines in Texas and elsewhere could play a key role in determining which party controls the U.S. House after next year’s midterms.
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott added redistricting to the agenda for a special legislative session, citing concerns raised by Trump’s Department of Justice that certain current districts are unconstitutional. But Republicans have also been explicit that they intend to undertake mid-decade redistricting for partisan aims.
According to Dave Wasserman, an analyst with the Cook Political Report, the proposed new map could help Republicans achieve a gerrymander of 30 Republican districts, to eight for Democrats. Currently, Republicans hold 25 of the state’s seats.
The proposed map could be changed during the special session. It’s unclear if Texas Republican lawmakers will release other proposed congressional maps.
The GOP gambit in Texas has led to Democrats talking of doing their own new gerrymanders in states like California and New York, but there are legal and state constitutional hurdles in those places that would make the efforts more difficult.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.