Texas Senate panel again advances redrawn congressional map

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A Texas Senate panel again cleared a congressional map that aims to create five new Republican districts ahead of the 2026 election, despite hearing overwhelming pushback during a Sunday hearing.

The chamber’s redistricting committee voted 6-3 to advance Senate Bill 4 after more than 40 people told lawmakers that the process was being rushed and that it would dilute people of color’s voting power. One person registered in favor of the bill.

The Texas GOP introduced the rare mid-decade redistricting effort following a push from President Donald Trump ahead of the 2026 elections. The legislation now goes to the Senate floor for a full vote.

The proposal approved Sunday offers a similar redrawn map that the committee considered in the first special session.

Sen. Phil King, the Weatherford Republican who authored the legislation in both sessions, said that the proposed congressional map is legal and that it would perform better for Republicans.

“I did not take race into consideration when drawing this map,” he said. “I drew it based on what would better perform for Republican candidates.”

Some Texans who testified on Sunday said legislators should be focusing on flood relief and response instead. King said flood bills have already been passed out of committee in the Senate and that they are “not being neglected.”

During the first special session, the Texas Senate approved the proposed map following a 19-2 vote along party lines.

Just before the bill was taken up that day, nine Texas Senate Democrats walked out of the chamber to protest what they called a “corrupt process.”

The two Democrats who stayed, Sens. Judith Zaffirini of Laredo and Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa of McAllen, said “quorum breaks can delay but not defeat this effort” and their “greatest hope” in defeating it is in the courts. Both participated in a quorum break in 2003 to fight a Republican mid-decade redistricting effort then.

The Sunday panel vote came shortly after the start of the second special session, which began on Friday, hours after the Legislature gaveled out of the first one.

The first overtime session ground to a halt after dozens of Texas House Democrats fled the state on Aug. 3 to protest the redistricting effort and deny the lower chamber a quorum. On Thursday, they said they will return to Texas after the introduction of a retaliatory redistricting map in California’s Legislature.

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