Scope: Federal (Texas)
Branch: Legislative
Severity: Amber
Date occurred: August 20, 2025
Phase: Jul-Aug 2025
On July 9, 2025, Texas announced a special legislative session to redraw its congressional maps mid-decade, reshaping five districts to eliminate five Democratic-held seats, including Rep. Al Green's 9th Congressional District. Reporting indicates the effort was privately pushed by the White House to help Republicans retain House control in 2026. Critics have labeled the new maps a gerrymander. The Texas House passed the new maps on August 20, 2025.
Constitutional basis: State legislature exercising its Elections Clause authority over congressional district lines (Article I, Section 4), under contested claims of federal executive pressure
Sources
- Wikipedia
- CNN