Democrats in Texas ended their walkout on Monday, restoring quorum in the state legislature and clearing the way for Republicans to advance new congressional maps aimed at expanding their representation. At the same time, California’s Democratic leadership moved to redraw its own map in an effort to add seats, escalating a partisan redistricting battle with national implications.
Texas Republicans press ahead with new maps
After two weeks of absence, Democratic lawmakers returned to Austin, allowing Republican leaders to resume work on redistricting. The GOP plan is designed to strengthen its hold on the state’s congressional delegation, potentially securing up to five additional seats in the U.S. House. Democrats condemned the proposal as discriminatory and pledged to challenge it in court, but acknowledged that returning to the chamber was necessary to build a legislative record for those legal battles.
California pushes back with new proposal
In Sacramento, Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic legislators unveiled a countermeasure: a plan to redraw California’s House districts to secure as many as five new Democratic seats. The proposal, framed as a direct response to Republican manoeuvres in Texas, will go before voters in November. If approved, it would temporarily override the state’s independent redistricting process, handing control of the map to the legislature.
A partisan arms race in redistricting
The developments underscore a growing trend of tit-for-tat strategies over congressional boundaries. Republicans argue that their actions in Texas reflect demographic shifts, while Democrats contend they amount to gerrymandering designed to lock in power. In California, critics of the new plan warn it risks undermining the credibility of the state’s independent commission, long held up as a model of fairness.
National stakes and what comes next
With both Texas and California poised to reshape their delegations, the fight over redistricting could determine control of the U.S. House in the 2026 midterms. In Texas, Republicans are expected to move swiftly to pass their maps, while Democrats prepare lawsuits. In California, the proposal must first clear the state legislature this week before appearing on the November ballot.
The parallel moves illustrate how redistricting battles in the nation’s two largest states are becoming central to the broader struggle for political dominance in Washington.
REFH – Newshub, 19 August 2025
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