A proposed revision of the congressional map by Texas state Republicans aims to effectively displace outspoken Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett from her district, potentially increasing the Republican representation in the U.S. House.
Unveiled last week, the redistricting initiative presented by Texas House Republicans could result in as many as five additional seats held by the GOP. The draft map—still open to modifications prior to final endorsement by both chambers of the state Legislature—intends to redraw district lines by integrating more Republican-leaning regions into historically Democratic strongholds like Dallas and Houston.
Crockett, who serves Texas’ 30th Congressional District, which includes a significant portion of Dallas, has criticized the redistricting proposal as “a power grab to silence voters.”
She stated that prior to the unveiling of the proposed map, she and other Democratic incumbents were requested to confirm their home addresses—an unusual action that raised alarms about the targeting of specific lawmakers.
This uncommon mid-decade redistricting effort could also lead to Democratic members competing against each other in primary elections, as the number of secure seats diminishes, according to Fox News.
For example, under the suggested map, Democratic Representative Lloyd Doggett of Texas’ 37th District in Austin would be placed in the same district as Representative Greg Casar, who currently represents the neighboring 35th District, also located in Austin.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., referred to the opposition against the redistricting plan as an “all-hands-on-deck moment” last week.
“We will combat them politically. We will challenge them through government channels. We will contest them in court. We will strive to win the hearts and minds of the people of Texas and beyond,” Jeffries, who does not represent anyone in Texas, stated last week during a press conference in Austin.
Jeffries stated that although corporations and universities are complying with the demands of the Trump administration, “Texas Democrats will not submit to pressure.”
While Democrats express their concerns regarding Texas’s actions, they have remained silent about how numerous blue states have manipulated their congressional districts to exclude Republican voters. Even in states such as New York and California, where the number of GOP-registered voters ranges from 40 to 45 percent, these voters are significantly underrepresented in the congressional delegations of those states.
In the meantime, Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) announced on Sunday that his state would provide protection to Texas Democrats who have relocated to Illinois in protest of the Republican-led initiatives to redraw Texas’s congressional districts.
“They are now in Illinois. We will do everything possible to safeguard each one of them and ensure that — because we recognize they are acting rightly, and they are adhering to the law,” Pritzker informed reporters during a press conference on Sunday night, which was held alongside the Texas state lawmakers, according to The Hill.
“It is Ken Paxton who disregards the law. It is the leaders of Texas who are attempting to evade the law,” he asserted. “They are the ones who must be held accountable.”
Pritzker’s comments came after Texas Democrats decided to leave their state to obstruct a quorum — the minimum number of lawmakers necessary to conduct legislative business — during a special session convened by Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R).
Abbott called the session to promote a new congressional map intended to provide Republicans with up to five additional seats, a redistricting initiative supported by President Trump as the GOP braces for a potentially challenging midterm election next year.
On Saturday, a Texas House panel approved the proposed congressional maps, preparing them for a full floor vote.
In protest, Texas Democrats departed the state to hinder the legislative process, primarily traveling to states led by Democrats.
