The Texas House of Representatives has approved a new congressional map that could give Republicans up to five additional U.S. House seats, significantly strengthening GOP control in the state. The bill, House Bill 4, passed 88–52 along party lines and is expected to be finalized by the Senate and sent to Governor Greg Abbott by week’s end.

The GOP-led redistricting effort has been controversial, especially after months of Democratic resistance, including a walkout to deny quorum. With Democrats now back in Austin, Republicans were able to push the map through. The Texas Republican Caucus celebrated the passage, calling it a “HUGE WIN” that would increase the GOP’s congressional seats from 25 to potentially 30 out of 38.

Debate over the map was heated. Democrats criticized the process as lacking transparency and accused Republicans of drawing lines behind closed doors. State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins questioned the public’s exclusion, while Republican Rep. Todd Hunter fired back by highlighting the Democrats’ prior absence during quorum delays.

The timing of the map is politically strategic. With the 2026 midterms looming — typically tough for the president’s party — the GOP is moving swiftly. Former President Trump also urged Republicans to secure more seats in Texas, which is considered vital to national Republican success.

Democrats argue the map discriminates against minority voters, particularly Latino communities in urban and border areas, by diluting their voting power. Civil rights groups and Democratic lawyers are already preparing lawsuits, claiming the plan violates federal protections and suppresses fair representation.

The Texas battle is triggering ripple effects nationwide. Blue states like California, Illinois, and New York are weighing similar redistricting moves to counterbalance GOP gains. Republicans accuse Democrats of hypocrisy, pointing to their own gerrymandering in blue states while condemning Texas’s actions.