/https://static.texastribune.org/media/profiles/Carla_Astudillo_2019_TT.jpg)
Carla Astudillo is a senior data visuals developer with a focus on elections and political data. Before joining the Tribune in 2019, she was a data and interactive visuals journalist at NJ.com and The Star-Ledger in New Jersey, where she helped build a database of police use of force in the state as part of a 16-month investigative project. She earned a master’s degree from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida. Carla was born in Antofagasta, Chile and moved to the United States when she was 7 years old. After brief stints in Texas and New Mexico, her family settled in Lakeland, Florida, where she grew up. She is based in Austin and speaks Spanish fluently.
The governor was expected to sign off on the new district lines, which passed the Legislature last week and aim to flip five Democratic seats in the 2026 midterms. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/62632c23391122e92b14101e1328c33c/0630%20Texas%20Capitol%20RB_25.jpg)
The GOP push to redraw the state’s congressional maps isn’t just a partisan move but one that deeply affects how Texans are represented in Congress. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9ff04d4a2d8c5f15abddc3115fcc5ced/0728%20Redistricting%20Committee%20RB%20TT%2034.jpg)
Texas lawmakers redrew congressional districts in a partisan bid to give Republicans five additional U.S. House seats. The move set off a bipartisan war across the U.S. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8b2fb5d8c7e14924ab5e343f7b7639a6/lede-art-redistricting-viz.jpg)
The plan increases the share of Hispanic voters in three of the five districts targeted by the GOP, banking that enough will turn out and vote for Republicans without Donald Trump on the ballot. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/316f2deec0b8709850be3411fd8691c2/GOP%20GOTV%20RGV%20MGO%2005.jpg)
The Department of Justice said four districts unconstitutionally combined Black and Hispanic voters, a charge the state disputes. If the proposed map passes, two will still be multiracial. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2224153b1eb597d95b9788d7b5753a33/0726%20Houston%20Redistrict%20Hearing%20DV%2010.jpg)
The new proposed lines would also prevent few, if any, opportunities for Democrats hoping that an aggressive gerrymander could backfire on Republicans. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d085c3488b42524d0011a05e93d7b4cf/Casar%20Johnson%20Green%20TT%2001.jpg)
The first draft of the lower chamber’s new redistricting map targets Democratic members of Congress in the Austin, Dallas and Houston metro areas and in South Texas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/005ea3af453ce52de4b100d9366641df/Redistrict%20Graphic%203x2.jpg)
Democratic members slammed the process, questioning why hearings were happening before maps were available for review. Chair Cody Vasut said follow-up public hearings will be scheduled once maps are filed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c848b674aa0a1980107a227dc1d3a436/0726%20Houston%20Redistrict%20Hearing%20DV%2024.jpg)
Experts suggested that more data and education are needed as Texas and the rest of the country build in known flood plains. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4640c75004c992d7308ce07945f73a57/0705%20Hill%20Country%20Flood%20BB%20TT%2035.jpg)
These maps and charts show the scale and intensity of the Hill Country floods and highlight Camp Mystic’s proximity to high-risk flood zones. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c7d20acd17a31ec4b41c97bd4144ca08/kerr-flood-area-chart-photo-2X.jpg)