• Texas Governor Greg Abbott signs a controversial redistricting bill aimed at gaining five Republican seats in the 2026 elections.
• The new map has sparked allegations of gerrymandering and protests from Texas Democrats.
• California is preparing to counteract the Texas changes with its own redistricting plan for the upcoming vote.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill into law that redraws congressional maps primarily to assist Republicans in gaining five additional seats during the 2026 midterm elections. This action, supported by President Trump, is seen as crucial for maintaining the Republican majority in the U.S. House, which currently holds a narrow three-seat advantage, according to latimes, abcnews, and reuters.

The new congressional map, approved amidst nationwide gerrymandering disputes, has faced severe backlash from Democrats who argue that it undermines the voting power of communities of color. This prompted over fifty Democratic lawmakers to walk out of the Texas legislature in protest earlier this month to block the bill, as reported by aljazeera and aa.

After Democrats returned, the bill passed with significant Republican support, and Abbott declared, "Texas is now more red in the United States Congress," an indication of political strategizing leading into the midterm elections. Voting rights advocates are already preparing legal challenges claiming the new map discriminates based on race, akin to accusations made against similar redistricting efforts nationwide, including measures already enacted in California to counter Texas's moves, according to lemonde and reuters.

In response to Texas's new map, California's Governor Gavin Newsom has rallied support for a redistricting plan that could see five new Democratic-friendly congressional districts created. This plan is set to be presented to voters in a November ballot, aiming to neutralize Republican advantages developed through Texas's recent redistricting attempts, as emphasized in discussions reported by abcnews and aljazeera.