Texas Republicans are advancing a mid-decade redistricting bill aimed at increasing their congressional representation, following a request from former President Donald Trump. The proposed changes could significantly alter the political landscape in Central Texas, particularly affecting the 37th Congressional District, currently represented by Democrat Lloyd Doggett.

The new map would divide the 37th District into portions that would be absorbed by four neighboring districts, three of which are held by Republicans. One segment of the Austin-area district would be integrated into the 11th District, represented by Republican August Pfluger, which extends into rural Ector County, approximately 20 miles from the New Mexico border. This shift could result in residents of Austin sharing representation with constituents over 311 miles away, a distance much greater than the current arrangement.

Sherri Greenberg, assistant dean at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, expressed concerns about the proposed map. "If you look at many of these districts, whether they're here or elsewhere in the nation, you do not necessarily see a community of interest," she said. Greenberg noted that the new configuration could dilute the representation of diverse communities, as it spreads constituents across vast distances with differing interests and demographics.

Redistricting typically occurs every ten years following the census, but the White House's intervention in June prompted Texas Republicans to consider changes ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Trump indicated a desire for a straightforward redrawing that could secure five additional seats for Republicans.

David Wasserman, a senior editor and elections analyst, warned that the proposed map could force Democrats into a competitive situation for the remaining Democratic-leaning district in the area. A potential contest could arise in Austin between Doggett and fellow Democrat Greg Casar. Democrats have criticized the draft map as a "power grab" and have accused Republicans of attempting to suppress the votes of minority communities. Casar stated, "They're trying to suppress the votes of Black and brown Austinites right now under this map."

Wasserman estimated that the new map could enable Republicans to gain three to five additional seats by dispersing minority voters. He remarked, "This map would clearly impair the voting strength of Texas' minority voters. It dilutes or eliminates districts where minority voters have elected Democrats in recent years."

Despite these concerns, Greenberg and Wasserman noted that Democrats might face challenges in court due to shifting voting trends among Latino voters, who have increasingly leaned toward conservative candidates. Republican state Rep. Carl Tepper defended the redistricting efforts, stating, "These new districts reflect the population and the voting trends of Texas. We are a vast and very heavily Republican state."

In response to the Texas situation, Democratic lawmakers in other states, including California, have expressed intentions to pursue redistricting efforts to bolster their numbers. Greenberg cautioned that if Texas initiates mid-decade changes, it could lead to a chaotic cycle of redistricting across the nation. "If you're having constant redistricting, it would be chaos. For people to run, they have to know their districts. If you are having all over the nation this constant redistricting every year, I don't know how that works," she said.