() The Texas state Senate will vote on a bill that would redraw districts mid-decade to give an advantage to Republicans on Thursday.
A committee passed the bill with a 5-3 vote Thursday morning, setting the stage for a full Senate vote Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET.
The Texas House approved the bill on Wednesday following a delay caused by Texas Democrats fleeing the state to block the legislature from achieving a quorum.
Democrats have voiced opposition to this mid-decade redistricting move, spearheaded by President Donald Trump, aimed at helping Republicans maintain congressional control in the 2026 midterm elections.
Normally, congressional districts are redrawn every ten years based on new census data to ensure accurate district alignment with population numbers.
Districts are intended to be drawn on population and geography lines, though both parties have been known to gerrymander maps.
This GOP-driven attempt to alter the maps for partisan gains has sparked a national debate. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has pledged to redraw his state’s maps to counterbalance the Texas redistricting ahead of the midterms.
Florida is also looking to modify districts to benefit Republicans, while Democratic governors such as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul have expressed intentions to reshape their states to preserve the power balance.
