Texas Democrats visiting California and Illinois as redistricting fight continues [View all]

Source: CBS News

July 25, 2025 / 10:40 AM EDT


With little say in the ongoing debate over redrawing congressional districts in their home state, Texas Democratic state legislators are looking beyond their borders for help. Separate delegations of Texas Democrats are flying Friday to Sacramento to meet with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Chicago to see Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

The move comes as legislators are holding a series of public hearings through early next week to discuss the proposed changes to congressional boundaries, exchanges that have led to shouting matches and at least one witness being removed from a hearing Thursday night in Austin.

"Since Governor Abbott is acting like a child, we are going to find adults to go talk to," Democratic State Rep. Gene Wu, from the Houston area, said in a statement announcing the trip. Wu is leading the delegation of lawmakers visiting Pritzker. Pritzker's office said Friday he plans to meet with the legislators "about the Republican attacks to rig elections."

But nothing in Texas state law bars legislators from redrawing lines in between censuses, and President Trump has asked Lone Star State Republicans to use their complete control of government to rearrange congressional district boundaries in hopes of winning up to five more seats across the state in next year's elections. Doing so would help pad House Republicans' two-seat majority as they face historic midterm headwinds.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-redistricting-democrat-california-illinois/