Abbott Signs Texas Redistricting Bill To Flip Five Congressional Seats Red

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a new congressional map on Friday, handing Republicans a key political victory in their effort to expand their U.S. House majority—and doing so at the direct urging of President Donald Trump.

“Texas is now more red in the United States Congress,” Abbott declared in a social media video, moments after signing the bill with a marker.

The legislation redraws several of the state’s congressional districts with the goal of flipping five Democrat-held seats. The move follows weeks of tense debate, legal threats, and a walkout by Texas Democrats who unsuccessfully tried to stall the effort.

Trump-Backed Red Map Poised To Shift National Balance

President Trump pushed hard behind the scenes to accelerate the redistricting process, part of a broader strategy to secure the House in the upcoming midterms. With Republicans clinging to a narrow majority, flipping even a handful of seats could be decisive.

Republican strategists in Texas say the new map was drawn using past voting behavior data, not racial demographics—a key point of contention now at the center of an ongoing legal challenge.

Democrats claim the map violates federal protections by diminishing the influence of Black and Hispanic voters. Civil rights groups have already filed lawsuits to block implementation.

Despite those objections, the new map does not require voter approval and takes effect immediately.

Red States Move, Blue States Counter

Texas is just one of several Republican-controlled states moving aggressively to reshape congressional boundaries in the post-census redistricting window. Meanwhile, Democrat-controlled states like California are plotting their own countermeasures.

California Democrats recently approved a redistricting proposal designed to flip five GOP seats, though that plan still requires voter approval in November. The Lone Star State’s changes, however, are already law.

The nationwide fight over redistricting is intensifying—and both parties are embracing aggressive legal and political tactics to tilt the battlefield ahead of 2026.

Polls Show Americans Distrust The Process

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that most Americans—regardless of political affiliation—believe gerrymandering undermines democracy. Yet both parties continue to use the process to gain an edge.

In Texas, more than 50 House Democrats fled the state for two weeks in protest, denying Republicans a quorum. But ultimately, they returned, and the GOP passed the bill without compromise.

With the new map in place, Republicans are betting that Texas will become a launching pad for expanding Trump’s influence in Congress—and Democrats are already preparing for a court fight that could land in front of the Supreme Court.

Abbott, for his part, made clear who gets the credit: “President Trump asked us to get this done—and Texas delivered.”