Texas Democrats severely weakened under new Republican-drawn Congressional Map

AUSTIN, Texas – Under a brand new Republican-drawn congressional map, Democrats would likely be left with half of the seats they “deserve” in Texas, as based on the popular vote.

In the 2024 presidential election in Texas, Republican Donald Trump received 56.3% of the votes, while Democrat Kamala Harris received 42.4%. 

If those percentages were reflected in the apportionment of congressional seats, Republicans would have 22 of the 38 seats, while Democrats would have 16. 

But currently, because of the way the lines were drawn by Republicans in 2021, Republicans have 25 seats and Democrats 12, with one seat (usually Democratic) vacant.

Under the new map, drawn by state Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, and known as Plan C2308, Republicans would likely have 30 seats and Democrats 8. 

President Trump urged the Republican leadership in Texas to take up mid-decade redistricting. He said he wanted to “flip” five Democratic seats. 

The map potentially does this, by weakening Democratic seats in Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and two in South Texas. The incumbents that would be forced to run in more Republican-leaning seats would be Marc Veasey or Julie Johnson in Fort Worth (the two are paired in the same district under Hunter’s map), Greg Casar or Lloyd Doggett in Austin (the two are paired in the same district under Hunter’s map), Al Green of Houston, Henry Cuellar of Laredo, and Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen. 

Roughly 65,000 Hispanic Texans have been removed from Congressional District 34, represented by Gonzalez, under Hunter’s map. 

Protection of districts that give minorities a good shot of electing the candidate of their choice under the Voting Rights Act have been weakened in recent years. 

“The newly proposed TX-34, under the Republicans’ outrageously gerrymandered map, is a blatant Trump-rigged district. When they know they can’t win, they cheat! It’s as simple as that,” Congressman Gonzalez said. 

“Texas Republicans have completely surrendered our state to Trump and his billionaire cronies, at the expense of selling out their constituents and Latino voters in South Texas. What they forget is that I’m still a lawyer. We will fight this disgraceful attempt to cheat Lone Star State voters in Federal Court, and will win again in an era where Trump is deeply underwater.”

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, was equally outraged by the new congressional map.

“This proposed Texas Congressional map is illegal and a direct violation of the Voting Rights Act. Governor Abbott is subverting the political will of Texans so that national Republicans can interfere in our state, and ensure that Trump is not held accountable for his criminal actions in the Congress,” Castro said.

“Texas is being used by Donald Trump and it is incumbent on all my colleagues, Democrat and Republican, to speak out against this attack on the Voting Rights Act. This illegal map will suppress the vote and impact black and brown communities the most.”

Castro added: “Alongside the Texas Democratic delegation, I will do everything I can to fight this attack on the voting rights of Texans. This is part of a wider plan by Trump to undermine our democracy. And I will continue to fight for my constituents regardless of boundaries.”

The Rio Grande Guardian has called Rep. Hunter’s Austin office for comment. We will bring it to readers as soon as it comes in. 

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