Trump Backs Texas Redistricting Push to Secure GOP House Edge for 2026 Midterms

The political chessboard is heating up as the 2026 midterm elections loom, with Republicans in Texas leading a bold charge to redraw congressional districts in their favor. Starting Monday, the GOP-dominated state legislature is in a special session, aiming to shrink the already limited Democratic presence in the Lone Star State’s 38 districts, where Democrats currently hold just 12 seats. This isn’t just a local skirmish—it’s a critical piece of a nationwide Republican strategy to tighten their grip on the House of Representatives, where their majority hangs by a thread.

President Donald Trump is personally invested, pushing hard for a redistricting plan that could net the GOP up to five new winnable seats in Texas. Speaking to reporters recently, Trump called it a ‘simple redrawing’ with big payoffs, a move to avoid a repeat of the 2018 midterms when Democrats flipped the House. Sources confirm he’s been rallying Texas Republican lawmakers, emphasizing the need to bolster their numbers.

But this isn’t without controversy or risk. The plan involves shuffling Democratic voters into GOP-leaning areas and vice versa, a tactic that could backfire by making some safe Republican seats more competitive. As one seasoned Texas strategist pointed out, incumbent GOP lawmakers are nervous about their own re-elections if their districts get too tight. Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick defend the move, citing constitutional concerns over minority-dominated districts flagged by the Justice Department.

Democrats, predictably, are crying foul, labeling it a blatant power grab. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries vowed a fierce legal fight to block the changes. And they’re not just playing defense—blue states are eyeing similar maneuvers. California Gov. Gavin Newsom hinted at a counterattack, suggesting a mid-decade redistricting to gain Democratic seats, though an independent commission and legal hurdles stand in the way. Meanwhile, battles over maps are brewing in states like Wisconsin, Utah, and Florida, with Ohio potentially handing the GOP a few more seats under a mandated redraw.

This mid-decade redistricting, rare but not unprecedented, underscores a brutal truth: in the fight for congressional control, every line on the map is a battleground. Both sides are digging in for a long, messy war over representation ahead of 2026.