Texas Democrats Coordinate with California, Illinois on GOP Redistricting Response

Texas Republicans, urged by President Trump, are pursuing a rare mid-decade redistricting effort aimed at reshaping congressional maps to help the GOP gain additional seats in the 2026 elections and maintain control of the House of Representatives. This move has sparked strong opposition from Democrats, including Texas lawmakers who have sought support from California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to push back against what they describe as electoral cheating and an attempt to rig elections. Newsom has proposed that California consider redrawing its own congressional districts to counterbalance the Republican-led redistricting in Texas. Pritzker echoed these sentiments, warning that Illinois might respond with its own map changes and calling the Texas plan a drastic action aimed at preventing a predicted GOP defeat. The Texas special legislative session called by Gov. Greg Abbott, initially meant to address flood recovery, has been criticized for prioritizing political gains over urgent state needs. Democrats emphasize that these efforts threaten the integrity of the democratic process and vow to use every available tool to oppose the redistricting plans.