AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Republicans took the first step Wednesday toward approving a new congressional map that would give their party as many as five new seats in the House of Representatives, spurring what's likely to be a national battle over redistricting.

The approval by the Texas House of Representatives came at the urging of President Donald Trump, who pushed for the extraordinary mid-decade revision of congressional maps to give his party a better chance at holding on to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections.

The map needs to be approved by the GOP-controlled state Senate and signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott before it becomes official. But the Texas House presented the best chance for Democrats to derail the redraw.

Texas state legislative Democrats

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