President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed Republicans are “entitled to 5 extra seats” in Texas, the place a redistricting battle is taking part in out amongst state lawmakers.
However the Lone Star State’s political showdown has nationwide implications, with management of the U.S. Home probably at stake.
Republicans began the 119th Congress with the smallest Home majority in practically 100 years. At present, the occasion has a 219-212 majority with 4 vacancies. When these vacancies are crammed, Democrats would wish to solely web three seats subsequent November to win again the Home.
U.S. Home of Representatives occasion breakdown as of Aug. 2025
ABC Information
Home Speaker Mike Johnson can solely afford to lose three Republican in any vote the place all members are current. The slim margin created some complications for Johnson in delivering Trump’s sweeping tax minimize and spending invoice, rewriting cryptocurrency guidelines and extra.
In a bid to defend the delicate majority, and even increase it, Trump’s political operation approached Texas Republicans in June about redrawing the state’s congressional map forward of the 2026 midterm elections.
A map of U.S Congressional Districts proposed plan is seen at a Texas legislators’ public listening to on congressional redistricting in Austin, Texas, Aug. 1, 2025.
Eric Homosexual/AP
Midterm elections traditionally have been unkind to the president’s occasion, although Johnson mentioned final week when Texas Republicans launched the brand new maps that the GOP would “defy historical past” and “develop the bulk within the Home” in subsequent yr’s races.
The brand new map might web Republicans between three and 5 seats if enacted, analysts beforehand informed ABC Information. The proposed modifications would impression districts in Austin, Dallas and Houston — areas which have sometimes voted blue.
The Texas redistricting efforts, that are not often finished mid-decade between the census, has prompted main pushback from Democrats.
Democratic lawmakers fled the state in protest, denying Republicans the required quorum to vote on enacting the brand new map. In response, Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, ordered the Texas Division of Public Security to arrest the Democrats and produce them again to Austin.
President Trump on Tuesday defended the transfer in a cellphone interview with CNBC.
“We’ve got a chance in Texas to choose up 5 seats. We’ve got a extremely good governor, and we’ve good folks in Texas. And I gained Texas, I bought the best vote within the historical past of Texas as you most likely know. And we’re entitled to 5 extra seats,” Trump mentioned.
President Donald Trump indicators whereas boarding Air Power One at Lehigh Valley Worldwide Airport, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Allentown, Pa.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
Democratic leaders have pledged to attempt to counter the Texas Republican effort with new maps of their very own.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday, at a information convention alongside a number of Texas Home Democrats in Albany, mentioned she’s going to attempt to gerrymander her state’s map — although famous it was unlikely to be finished earlier than the 2026 midterms.
“We’re already engaged on a legislative course of, reviewing our authorized methods, and we’ll do all the pieces in our energy to cease this brazen assault,” Hochul mentioned. “The gloves are off, and I say ‘Convey it on.'”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, too, mentioned if Texas moved ahead with the brand new map then they might reply by placing their very own redistricting plan earlier than voters this November.
Each states at present use impartial commissions to attract their maps following constitutional amendments.
“No matter they’re doing can be neutered right here within the state of California, and they’re going to pay that worth,” Newsom mentioned on Monday.
