'Partisan Power Grab': Amid Flood Crisis, Abbott Tucks Gerrymandering Ploy Into Special Session

As the death toll rises and recovery efforts continue in the wake of disastrous flooding in central Texas, the state's Republican governor announced Wednesday that an upcoming special legislative session will include an effort to redraw congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to include a rare mid-decade redistricting push on the special session agenda drew immediate outcry from Democratic lawmakers and pro-democracy advocates, who accused the Republican leader of trying to boost his party's electoral prospects at a time when his focus should be on flood response, recovery, and future prevention.

"While search and recovery is ongoing, this black-hearted governor added a partisan power grab to a 30-day agenda that should be all about ensuring this NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN," Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-49) wrote on social media.

"I am often disappointed in Greg Abbott," Hinojosa added, "but this is revolting."

The special session is set to begin on July 21, and the agenda Abbott unveiled Wednesday does include several items related to the disastrous flooding that killed at least 120 people.

But the redistricting item, buried near the bottom of the agenda outline, sparked immediate ire and warnings that the Texas governor is doing U.S. President Donald Trump's bidding. Last month, The New York Times reported that Trump's political team "is encouraging Republican leaders in Texas to examine how House district lines in the state could be redrawn ahead of next year's midterm elections to try to save the party's endangered majority."

The state's congressional map is already aggressively gerrymandered. The Biden Justice Department sued over the maps in late 2021, but the Trump administration dropped the legal fight earlier this year.

"Now, Texas Republicans want to enact an even more egregious gerrymander, because they are afraid of voters who are furious with their unpopular MAGA agenda and horrific budget bill."

In a July 7 letter to Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Trump Justice Department urged the state's officials to redraw four districts—three of which are currently represented by Democrats and one that is vacant but was previously represented by late Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner.

Abbott's Wednesday announcement of the special session agenda specifically cites the Justice Department's letter, which claimed the four targeted districts amount to unconstitutional racial gerrymanders. Abbott's office called for the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature to craft "legislation that provides a revised congressional redistricting plan in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice."

John Bisognano, president of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said in a statement Wednesday that "despite the fact that Texas is in a state of emergency, instead of focusing on the well-being of his constituents, Governor Abbott's focus is how Republicans can enact a mid-decade gerrymander to secure unearned power ahead of the 2026 midterm elections."

"Texas' congressional map already silences the voices of thousands of Texans," said Bisognano. "That's why Texas voters have spent the last three years in court challenging it for violating the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Now, Texas Republicans want to enact an even more egregious gerrymander, because they are afraid of voters who are furious with their unpopular MAGA agenda and horrific budget bill."

"This is an attack on democracy," he added. "Trump and Republicans in Congress know that they cannot win fairly in 2026, so they are demanding that Abbott cheat."

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin also denounced Abbott's ploy, saying that the governor's "full attention should be focused on flood rescue and recovery efforts."

"Instead, he's using this tragic moment to plot a gerrymandering scheme while families are still reeling from a devastating disaster," said Martin. "Republicans have already gone all-in on taking away healthcare, taking away food, and raising costs on families. Now, they want to disenfranchise Texas voters during a dire emergency. This is despicable and needs to be called out."