Gov. Abbott signs bill changing state’s congressional maps

AUSTIN, Texas (KLTV) - On Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill that will change the state’s congressional maps to add five Republican-leaning seats prior to the 2026 midterms.

The bill was passed by the Texas Senate on Aug. 23 and by the House on Aug. 20.

This comes weeks after House Democrats left the state in protest of a mid-decade redraw, and after Abbott added the item to the first special session “in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.”

Democrats have argued that the proposed maps represent a form of racial gerrymandering, which Republicans deny. Democrats have discussed taking the new maps to court, which could be a years-long process that may not halt the district changes prior to the next mandated redistricting after the 2030 census.