Under the new proposed map, the Central Texas districts of Democratic Congressmen Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar would be combined.
AUSTIN, Texas — New maps released on Wednesday reveal how Republicans want to redraw congressional districts in Texas.
President Donald Trump wants Texas to secure five more Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Under the proposal made public on Wednesday morning by State Rep. Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi), the Central Texas districts of Congressmen Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar would be combined.
During interviews with KVUE on Wednesday afternoon, neither lawmaker would say whether they’d run against the other if the proposed maps are approved.
“I think both of us are unwilling to answer the ‘what if’ questions because we think that the only ‘what if’ that counts is whether this plan is approved and gives Trump the kind of control that we’re both committed to seeing he does not achieve,” said Doggett.
“Congressman Doggett and I are united in fighting back against this illegal and radically racially gerrymandered map,” said Casar. “This map clearly violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965.”
During a news conference at the State Capitol on Wednesday afternoon, several Texas House Democrats blasted the Republican-led redistricting effort.
“This is an egregious, craven power grab by Republicans,” said Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin). “They are afraid of voters, and they are trying to silence the voters.”
State lawmakers took public testimony in-person and virtually during several meetings before the new maps were released.
Earlier in July, the U.S. Department of Justice raised concern about the current map, saying four majority minority districts were drawn based on race. However, the state defended the current map in court, saying it was drawn fairly.
“If [President Trump] can change the composition of Congress, in this way, he maintains the ability to avoid any subpoenas, any accountability,” said Doggett. “He will have a Congress full of compliant Republicans just as he has too much today.”
“We’ve got to stop Donald Trump from suppressing voting rights here in Central Texas because Trump has said that once he’s done here in the Austin area and in Texas, he wants to take the show on the road and start doing it in districts all across the country,” said Casar. “We’ve never faced something like this before.”
This fight is getting national attention. U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is meeting with Texas Democrats in Austin on Wednesday night.
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California posted on X on Wednesday, saying “The 2026 election is being rigged. California won’t sit back and watch this happen.”
KVUE reached out to the offices of Hunter, as well as Rep. Cody Vasut (R-Angleton) and Sen. Phil King (R-Weatherford), the Republican chairs of the House and Senate redistricting committees, for interviews. Staff told KVUE the lawmakers were either unavailable, or they did not reply to the request.