November 8, 2025
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Democrats ended a two-week walkout Monday that stalled Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts.
Their return to the Texas Capitol will allow the Republican-run Legislature to proceed as California Democrats advance a countereffort to redraw their congressional boundaries in retaliation. The tit-for-tat puts the nation's two most populous states at the center of an expanding fight over control of Congress ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Dozens of Texas House Democrats left the state Aug. 3 to deny their Republican-majority colleagues the attendance necessary to vote on redrawn maps intended to send five more Texas Republicans to Washington.
They declared victory after Republicans adjourned their first special session on Friday and Democrats around the country rallied in opposition to the gerrymandering effort. They pointed specifically to California's release of proposed maps intended to increase Democrats' U.S. House advantage by five seats, effectively neutralizing any Republican gains in Texas.
California's congressional delegation currently consists of 43 Democrats and nine Republicans, despite President Donald Trump winning nearly 40% of the popular vote in 2024's presidential elections. In Texas, where Trump won 40% of the vote, there are currently 25 Republican and 12 Democratic representatives.
Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows did not mention redistricting on the floor Monday but promised swift action on the Legislature’s agenda.
“The majority has the right to prevail. The minority has the right to be heard,” the speaker said. “We are done waiting.”
On a national level, the partisan makeup of existing district lines puts Democrats within three seats of a majority. Of the 435 total House seats, only several dozen districts are competitive. So even slight changes in a few states could affect which party wins control.
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott added redistricting to an initial special session agenda that included a number of issues, but most notably a package of bills responding to devastating floods that killed more than 130 people last month.
Abbott has blamed Democrats' absence for delaying action on those measures. Democrats have answered that Abbott is responsible for the delay because he insisted on effectively linking the hyper-partisan matter to the nonpartisan flood relief.
Redistricting typically occurs once at the beginning of each decade to coincide with the census. Many states, including Texas, give legislators the power to draw maps. California is among those that empower independent commissions with the task.
California lawmakers were scheduled to convene later Monday. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said that his state will hold a Nov. 4 special referendum on the redrawn districts.
Share with others
