Democrats End Two-Week Walkout
Texas Democrats have ended a two-week walkout that blocked Republican lawmakers from advancing new congressional maps. Their return allows the Legislature to move forward with a redistricting plan backed by President Donald Trump, while California Democrats launch their own counter-mapping effort.
The walkout had denied Republicans the quorum needed to vote on maps projected to add five GOP seats in Texas. Democratic leaders said the move highlighted what they describe as partisan redistricting efforts intended to strengthen Republican control in Washington.
California Advances Countermeasure
In response, California Democrats released proposed maps aimed at giving their party an additional five U.S. House seats. Governor Gavin Newsom announced that voters will decide on the redistricting plan in a November 4 referendum.
With both Texas and California — the two most populous states — redrawing boundaries at the same time, national attention has turned to how even small adjustments could determine control of Congress ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
National Stakes
Currently, Republicans hold a narrow House majority. Analysts note that of the 435 seats in Congress, only a few dozen are considered competitive. That means shifts in large states like Texas and California could significantly affect which party controls the chamber.
President Trump has encouraged Republican-led states to consider redistricting efforts, while Democratic governors in other states have indicated they may follow California’s example if Republican states redraw lines to their advantage.
Flood Relief and Legislative Priorities
Governor Greg Abbott included redistricting in a special legislative session that also covered disaster relief following floods that killed more than 130 people last month. Abbott argued Democrats’ absence delayed progress on those measures.
Democrats countered that tying redistricting to disaster legislation slowed action and reflected political priorities rather than emergency needs.
Next Steps
The Texas House was scheduled to reconvene Monday afternoon to take up the redistricting proposals. California’s plan is set to go before voters in November, ensuring the issue will remain a central point of contention heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
Related Coverage
- Idaho News – https://idahonews.co/idaho-news-3/
- National News – https://idahonews.co/national-news/
- Global News – https://idahonews.co/global-news/
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