By Black Star News
Photos: YouTube Screenshot\Wikimedia Commons
Donald Trump, and Texas Republicans, are moving ahead with a political scheme to gerrymandering their way into picking up five new House seats ahead of the 2026 mid-term elections by redrawing the congressional map of the state–with a particular emphasis on weakening certain Democratic strongholds.
The particular democratic areas targeted are: Austin, Dallas, the Houston metro areas, and South Texas. The new maps would construct more districts in which whites would become the new majority of voters.
Democratic Rep. Greg Casar, of the 25th District, whose Austin seat would be terminated denounced the political ploy by Trump and Texas Republicans.
“If Trump is allowed to rip the Voting Rights Act to shreds here in Central Texas, his ploy will spread like wildfire across the country,” Casar said. “Everyone who cares about our democracy must mobilize against this illegal map.” Casar also implored all Democrats to “fight back with everything we’ve got,” and called on voters to “mobilize against this illegal map.”
Other Democrats targeted are: Rep. Julie Johnson, Rep. Marc Veasey, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Rep. Al Green, Rep. Joaquin Castro, Rep. Sylvia Garcia, and Rep. Lloyd Doggett.
Doggett, 78, responded to a question about what the plan would mean for his political future by saying, “the only ‘What if’ that matters is ‘What if this crooked scheme is approved to give Trump a rubber stamp to do whatever he pleases.’” Doggett also stated that “For years, Republicans have failed in their attempts to use redistricting to get rid of me. If we continue working together, they will fail again.”
Democratic governors are warning that if Texas Republicans are allowed to rig the maps this way in their favor that Democratic governors would be forced to do the same in their home states. One Democratic lawmaker said it would lead to a “redistricting arms race.”
Earlier this week, House Democratic Leader Hakim Jeffries traveled to Texas to strategize with Democrats about fighting back against the Republicans, including what legal actions to take. Julie Merz, executive director of House Democrats’ campaign arm, stated that “Should this map become law, we anticipate Texas will get sued and the map will get struck down.”
Marina Jenkins, executive director of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, who opposes the Trump Republican ploy, said, “The current map is already egregiously gerrymandered. The proposed new gerrymander, and even more extreme gerrymander, adds even more insult to that injury, Black voters and Latino voters will have even less opportunity to have their political will considered on an equal basis.”
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