The Republican-controlled Texas Senate approved a new congressional map in an 18–11 pre-dawn vote on 23 Aug 2025, sending the legislation to Governor Greg Abbott, who has pledged a swift signature. The state House had cleared the measure 88–52 three days earlier, overcoming a two-week Democratic quorum break and prolonged floor debate. Drawn at the urging of President Donald Trump, the mid-decade redistricting creates five additional Republican-leaning districts, a shift that could help the GOP defend its 219-212 edge in the U.S. House during the 2026 midterm elections. The vote caps a partisan showdown that included a blocked filibuster attempt by Democratic Senator Carol Alvarado and has already spurred tit-for-tat map-drawing efforts in states such as California. Civil-rights groups and Texas Democrats say the map dilutes Black and Latino voting strength and plan to seek an injunction under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. A three-judge federal panel could hold a hearing as early as September. While the U.S. Supreme Court has curtailed challenges to partisan gerrymandering, allegations of racial discrimination remain justiciable, setting up a legal battle that could determine the shape of the 2026 electoral landscape.