Texas Democrats Demand Flood Relief Amid GOP Redistricting Standoff

Texas GOP lawmakers, under pressure from President Donald Trump, have prioritized redistricting in the state's special legislative session over addressing the recent deadly Hill Country floods. Governor Greg Abbott added redistricting to the agenda after a direct call from Trump, aiming to redraw congressional districts to secure five additional Republican seats in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterms. Democratic lawmakers have strongly opposed this move, calling it racist and unconstitutional, and have threatened a quorum-breaking walkout to block the redistricting efforts. Democrats insist that flood relief should take precedence and accuse Abbott of using Texas as a political testing ground for Trump’s agenda instead of focusing on disaster recovery. Republicans argue that addressing redistricting first is necessary given the complexity of the issues involved, while Democrats emphasize the urgent need for flood relief for affected communities. The conflict highlights the deep partisan divide at the Texas Capitol, with flood response legislation being held hostage to the redistricting debate.