Texas Governor Abbott Signs New Congressional Map Adding Five Republican Seats

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed a controversial redistricting bill known as the "One Big Beautiful Map" into law, which redraws the state's congressional districts to add five Republican-leaning seats ahead of the 2026 midterms. The legislation, passed largely along party lines despite a weeks-long Democratic walkout aimed at blocking the process, is intended by Republicans to ensure "fairer representation" in Congress for Texas. This move increases Republican-favored districts from 25 to 30 out of 38, significantly reducing Democratic-majority districts in major urban centers like Houston, Austin, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Democrats and civil rights groups have condemned the redistricting as a form of racial gerrymandering that dilutes minority voting power, describing it as a power grab that silences millions of Texans. President Trump praised the bill on social media, calling it a "Big WIN for the Great State of Texas" and encouraging other Republican-led states to follow suit. The redistricting in Texas is part of a wider national effort, with both parties scrambling to redraw maps ahead of the 2026 midterms amid increased political tension over control of Congress.