The Texas Legislature approved a redrawn congressional map that could allow Republicans to gain as many as five House seats and bolster the GOP before next year's midterms. The House approved the map 88-52 on a party-line vote and the Senate gave final approval before sending it to Governor Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it. Democrats staged a two-week walkout and attempted a late filibuster to delay passage, arguing the maps dilute minority voting power and violate the Voting Rights Act. Republicans defended the maps as legal and advantageous for Republican candidates.
The Texas senate has given final approval to a redrawn congressional map that gives Republicans a chance to pick up as many as five congressional seats, fulfilling a brazen political request from Donald Trump to shore up the GOP's standing before next year's midterm elections. It will now be sent to governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, who is expected to quickly sign it into law, however Democrats have vowed to challenge it in court.
Democrats had prepared for a final show of resistance, with plans to push the senate vote into the early morning hours in a last-ditch attempt to delay passage. Senator Carol Alvarado revealed her filibuster plans to delay its final passage, in a post on social media. Republicans think they can walk all over us. Today I'm going to kick back, Alvarado's post read. I've submitted my intention to filibuster the new congressional maps. Going to be a long night.
But the planned filibuster was thwarted by a procedural motion by Republicans. It now heads to the governor for final approval. Democrats had already delayed the bill's passage during hours of debate, pressing senator Phil King, the measure's sponsor, on the proposal's legality, with many alleging that the redrawn districts violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting voters' influence based on race an accusation King vehemently denied.
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