Texas’s governor, Greg Abbott, has signed a new redistricting bill that will redraw the state’s congressional map to heavily favor Republicans.
On Friday, Abbott signed the highly controversial bill which prompted state Democrats to stage a weeks-long walkout earlier this month.
In a video on X, Abbott can be seen signing the bill and says it “creates the one big, beautiful map that ensures fairer representation in the United States Congress for Texas”.
Abbott’s signing comes after the Texas house of representatives approved the new map – which is set to create as many as five additional Republican congressional districts – on an 88-52 party line vote. The state senate then approved the bill early on Saturday.
After the house’s approval, Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Big WIN for the Great State of Texas!!! Everything Passed, on our way to FIVE more Congressional seats and saving your Rights, your Freedoms, and your Country, itself.
“Texas never lets us down. Florida, Indiana, and others are looking to do the same thing,” he added.
The bill’s passage follows Trump’s request for the state to draw new congressional maps. Currently, 25 of Texas’s 38 districts have Republican majorities. The new redistricting will bring the Republican-favored districts to 30.
The new districting plans will remove Democratic-majority districts in several major cities including Houston, Austin and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
The new map has drawn condemnation from Democrats as well as civil rights groups.
In response to the passage of the map, Legal Defense Fund policy director Demetria McCain issued the following statement: “Black voters are not a tool for legislators to use to cut up maps as they see fit. This redistricting process in Texas is a shameful power grab at the expense of Black voices.”
“Redistricting should be a sacred process, designed to empower voters in a transparent manner. The Texas leadership has instead made a mockery of our political process,” McCain added.
California governor Gavin Newsom, who last week signed a redistricting proposal aimed at redrawing the state’s congressional boundaries in a direct response to the gerrymandered Texas maps, wrote on social media responding to Abbott: “Congratulations on your new position as Trump’s #1 lapdog, I know you worked hard for it!”
The Democratic Governors Association released the following statement: “Republicans can’t defend their toxic and unpopular agenda of gutting health care for millions of Americans, so they’re trying to rig our elections before a single vote has even been cast. Democratic governors are on the frontlines of this fight – and they will use every tool available to stand up for their states and ensure fair representation.”
Meanwhile, Oni Blair, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union Texas chapter, said: “Before passing any disaster relief, Governor Abbott and his legislative allies redrew voting maps behind closed doors to further disenfranchise Black, Brown, and Asian American voters.
“It’s disgraceful that Texas lawmakers chose to advance President Trump’s extreme agenda while turning their backs on the thousands of families still reeling from one of the deadliest floods in state history. Every Texan deserves fair representation – because in a democracy, voters pick their leaders, not the other way around,” Blair added.
Texas Democratic party chair Kendall Scudder issued a statement following the signing: “With a stroke of the pen, Greg Abbott and the Republicans have effectively surrendered Texas to Washington, DC. They love to boast about how ‘Texas Tough’ they are, but when Donald Trump made one call, they bent over backwards to prioritize his politics over Texans. Honestly, it’s pathetic.”
Scudder continued: “This isn’t over– we’ll see these clowns in court. We aren’t done fighting against these racially discriminatory maps, and fully expect the letter of the law to prevail over these sycophantic Republican politicians who think the rules don’t apply to them.”
