Jeffries jets into Texas to battle Republican redistricting plan

Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News on Jul 30, 2025

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U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries on Wednesday was set to jet into Texas to push back against a Republican plan to redraw congressional districts in a unusual plan that could flip at least five seats.

The Democratic minority leader is seeking to rally opposition to the plan hatched by President Donald Trump and his GOP allies to gerrymander the deep red Lone Star state in the middle of the decade ahead of the 2026 midterm congressional elections.

Republicans hope to use the partisan power play in Texas and perhaps several other red states to cling to control of the House, which they now hold by only a handful of seats.

Democrats in New York, New Jersey, California and other blue states have discussed retaliating by redistricting their own states to potentially add some Democratic-leaning seats. But there are formidable legal and political hurdles, like the New York constitution that mandates redistricting only once a decade.

Texas Republicans Wednesday unveiled a new congressional map aimed at boost the current 25-13 edge over Democrats to perhaps 30-8, starting in 2026.

The GOP plan aims to flip two Democratic-held seats in South Texas, a Latino-dominated region that has swung very dramatically to the right in the Trump era. It also chops up at least one Democratic seat each in the blue-leaning Dallas, Houston and Austin areas, all without seriously watering down GOP edges in neighboring districts held by Republicans.

Republicans control all aspect of government in Texas and the courts are stacked with far right-wing conservatives who are unlikely to look kindly to any objections by Democrats or voting rights advocates.

Outnumbered Democratic state lawmakers could flee the state to deny Republicans a quorum in the state house during the special session called by Gov. Greg Abbott, but most observers believe that tactic is unlikely to succeed.

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