A Texas Senate panel has again advanced a mid-decade redistricting plan that would create five new Republican congressional districts ahead of the 2026 elections.
The Senate’s redistricting committee voted 6-3 Sunday to advance Senate Bill 4 after more than 40 people testified against it, warning it would dilute the voting power of people of color. Only one person registered in support.
The effort, encouraged by President Donald Trump, mirrors a similar map approved in the first special session. Sen. Phil King (R-Weatherford), the bill’s author, said race was not a factor in his proposal, which he argued was legal and designed to perform better for Republicans.
Democrats decried the process as rushed and corrupt. During the first session, nine Senate Democrats walked out in protest. Sens. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) and Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen) warned the ultimate fight would be in the courts, recalling their participation in the 2003 quorum break over GOP-led redistricting.
The vote came as lawmakers reconvened for a second special session, just days after Texas House Democrats returned from a walkout aimed at blocking the maps.
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