Texas House passes redrawn congressional district map

AUSTIN - The Texas House approved new mid-decade redistricting maps on Wednesday after a two-week delay with a vote of 88-52.

After the map's approval, the full piece of legislation, House Bill 4, was finally passed by the lower chamber. Debate over the legislation finished around 6:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Now that the bill has been approved by the House, a Senate committee will discuss the legislation Thursday morning.

The Republican-led House was looking to create five additional GOP House seats ahead of next year's midterm election.

Redistricting is usually only done after the U.S. census every 10 years.

Republicans say the new districts were drawn to maximize partisan advantage.

Democrats opposed the new maps, saying they're based on racial discrimination.

The Senate has already passed the new Congressional map.

Dig deeper:

"We are allowed to draw congressional districts on the basis of political performance, as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in Rucho versus Common Cause," said State Representative Todd Hunter, the author of the bill.

'Racial gerrymandering' is the phrase that is repeatedly underscored by the left, claiming minority voter voices are being silenced under the redraw. 

Democratic State Representative Ramon Romero was among several lawmakers who fired off questions on Wednesday. 

State Representative Ramon Romero asked, "Mr. Chairman, did you do any analysis or review whether voting is racially polarized in Texas before, during, or after the drawing of this map?" 

However, Rep. Hunter broke down the numbers in detail and said the new maps make four out of the five districts majority-minority Hispanic. 

"In 2021, there were nine Hispanic majority districts," said Representative Hunter. "In this plan, there are 10 Hispanic majority age districts. In the 2021 plan, there were seven Hispanic citizen voting age districts, and under this plan, there are eight."

‘A new chapter of Republican unity’

Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) released the following statement Wednesday evening.

What they're saying:

"The Texas House today delivered legislation to redistrict certain congressional districts to address concerns raised by the Department of Justice and ensure fairness and accuracy in Texans’ representation in Congress. 

"I want to thank Representative Todd Hunter for carrying this bill and for his tireless efforts ensuring the new map is not only constitutional, but secures Republican representation in Congress. Led by Chairman Cody Vasut, members of the House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting traveled across the state to hold hearings and gather input from Texans. 

"This work has helped us deliver the legal, remedied maps Texas voters deserve. These past few weeks have not been easy, but the House members who showed up for work every day have shown a dedication to their constituents that will not be forgotten. 

"Today’s passage of the congressional map has ushered in a new chapter of Republican unity, and I am proud to have led my colleagues in this important achievement. The other items on the special session call require the House to move past our differences, and I expect us to work together to deliver relief to Texans and implement critical safeguards to keep our children and communities safe from future disasters."

‘This isn’t your grandfather’s Democratic Party’

The Democratic National Committee released their own statement after the passage as well.

The other side:

"This is a shame — a craven, power-hungry, unconstitutional shame. But we won’t back down, and we won’t let the old rules stop us. Republicans tore up that rule book, destroying voting rights to try to cling to power, so we refuse to play fair anymore. 

"Texas Democrats fought every step of the way against these unlawful, rigged congressional maps and sparked a national movement. Democrats, like California’s Gavin Newsom and likely others, will carry that movement forward on behalf of Texas and the entire country. 

"Texas Democrats forged the path and showed what it means to fight. In less than a year, the American people have become fed up with Donald Trump and his Republican circus. Costs are going up, the economy is fizzling out, and his only accomplishment is one of the worst and most unpopular pieces of legislation in modern history. 

"No wonder he’s trying to rig the game — he knows his team can’t win next year without cheating. Make no mistake: this isn’t your grandfather’s Democratic Party. We don’t give up, we get even."

Rep. Salman Bhojani reacts

Democratic State Representative Salman Bhojani spoke with FOX 7's Katie Pratt seconds after the House adjourned on Wednesday. 

"What's happening in Texas affects everybody," said State Representative Salman Bhojani. "Five congressional seats are huge."

"I think we're passing the baton on to other states for them to continue this fight while we take this fight to the Texas House and see where we can take it to the courts," said Representative Bhojani. "I'm really optimistic and I feel really good." 

Their primary strategy on Wednesday was clearly about laying the groundwork, as they prepared to take their case to court. 

"We were just trying to get the Republicans to specify how they came up with it because they have to try really hard to silence minority voices when the growth of 95% of Texas population has been in minority communities," said Representative Bhojani. "We wanted to get that on the record so that we can go to the courts."

Texas redistricting effort

Dig deeper:

The new map increases the number of congressional districts that would have voted for Trump by at least 10 percentage points by five.

Republicans currently control 25 of the state's 38 Congressional districts.

The new map makes some big changes in North Texas. It moves Democrat Rep. Marc Veasey’s district from Tarrant to Dallas County, Democrat Rep. Julie Johnson’s district moves from Dallas and Collin County to more conservative sections of East Texas, and Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s Dallas seat becomes one of just two majority Black districts in the entire state.

The Democrats claim the redrawn maps will violate the federal Voting Rights Act, but that may be difficult for them to prove.

In Central Texas, Democrats Greg Casar and Lloyd Doggett find their districts vastly different from the most recent map.

The district currently held by Casar would no longer include Travis County, while the district held by Doggett would no longer include a portion of Williamson County.

In Houston, the new map reshapes four currently Democrat-held districts. The biggest change to the districts would be in the seat currently held by Rep. Al Green. The new map would shift the district from covering southern Harris County and instead move it to the eastern part of the county.

Democratic quorum break

The backstory:

Democrats claimed victory in blocking legislation in the first special session, but that will be short-lived. Republicans plan to fast track their priorities, including redistricting and flood response legislation.

For two weeks, Texas Democrats blocked any legislation from reaching Gov. Abbott's desk. 

They left the state in protest of a vote on a new congressional redistricting map that would give republicans five new seats in congress. 

Nationwide impact 

What they're saying:

Dallas state Rep. Toni Rose said the quorum break had an impact nationwide. 

"Gaining five seats will also impact the entire country, and we wanted to slow it down. The process was very disrespectful," she said.

But the Texas map is moving forward with a Senate committee advancing it on Sunday. 

"We are done waiting, we have a quorum. Now is the time for action. We will move quickly," said Rep. Burrows.

Moving quickly, not just on redistricting, but also on another special session priority, flood safety bills from the July 4th disaster in Central Texas.

What's next:

Democrats know the congressional map will eventually pass. Their next goal is to fight it in the courts, something that was already going to happen once the maps passed. 

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