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Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Friday signed a redistricting law that could strengthen Republican influence in Washington, a move that could tilt upcoming congressional elections in the party’s favour.
“Texas is now more red in the United States Congress,” Abbott said in a video on X, referring to the state’s Republican lean. In his post, he added that the move “ensures fairer representation in Congress.”
The legislation redraws congressional boundaries to give the Republican Party an advantage in the House of Representatives, where each member represents a single district. Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress.
The process, known as gerrymandering, involves drawing districts to concentrate a party’s own voters while splitting the opposition, allowing the party to win more seats even without a majority of votes.
Redistricting is normally based on the decennial census, but the new law bypasses this requirement. All 435 seats in the US House of Representatives are up for election in November 2026.
Texas, one of the nation’s most populous states, currently sends 38 representatives to the House, second only to California. Small shifts in district lines can therefore change the balance of power.
Republicans hope the redistricting could deliver up to five additional house seats. California, led by Democrats, has already signalled plans to review its own redistricting, potentially challenging the Republican’s efforts.
Hours after Abbott’s move, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe announced on X that he is convening a special legislative session to redraw congressional districts in the Republican-led state.
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