Trump backs Texas plan to redraw voting maps to benefit House Republicans
Republicans currently hold a 220-212 majority in the 435-seat House, with three vacancies in strongly Democratic districts. Incumbent presidents' parties typically lose House seats in midterm elections, but Trump argued that redistricting Texas could improve its chances.
"I think we get five," Trump told reporters at the White House. "And there could be some other states where we're going to get three or four or five. Texas will be the biggest one.'
House districts are typically redrawn every 10 years following each U.S. Census, to account for changes in population. Republicans currently hold 25 of Texas' 38 House districts.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican and strong Trump ally, earlier this month added redistricting to the agenda of a special legislative session on July 21. He said he was doing so "in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice."
Abbott announced his decision days after receiving a letter from Harmeet Dhillon, U.S. assistant attorney general of the civil rights division, expressing concern that four majority-minority Texas congressional districts won by Democrats were unconstitutionally drawn along racial lines in 2021.
The move is not without risk for Republicans as redrawing some Democratic-held districts to make them more winnable for Republican candidates would make existing Republican districts more competitive.
Representative Marc Veasey, a Democrat whose Fort Worth-area seat is one of the four targeted by the Justice Department, labeled the redistricting effort a "craven power grab" and a "coordinated political stunt" between Trump and Abbott.
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, in a joint press conference in Washington on Tuesday with several Texas Democrats, said: "Donald Trump, House Republicans here in Washington, and Governor Abbott are conspiring to rig the Texas congressional map as part of an effort to disenfranchise millions of people in Texas."
Asked whether he was concerned that Democratic-leaning states like New York and California could launch redistricting efforts of their own, Trump said he was not concerned.
"Well, that's fine too," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Channel 4
2 minutes ago
- Channel 4
Ukraine war: will Trump's threats really scare Putin?
Donald Trump says he's 'disappointed' that Vladimir Putin keeps knocking down buildings in Kyiv despite all the great conversations they are having about ending the war in Ukraine, as the First Lady Melania Trump keeps pointing out to him. So the president is ramping up the threats, offering 'top-of-the-line' weaponry to Ukraine and promising severe tariffs on Russia if there's no ceasefire within 50 days. Is that enough to get Putin to the negotiating table? Or just escalating an intractable conflict? And is Trump even serious about bumping his bestie in Moscow? On the latest episode of The Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Channel 4 News' International Editor Lindsey Hilsum and historian and author Anne Applebaum.
The Independent
2 minutes ago
- The Independent
Rep. Lauren Boebert wants Matt Gaetz to lead special counsel investigation into Epstein files
Rep. Lauren Boebert wants failed Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz to lead a special counsel investigation into the Epstein files. The Colorado Republican suggested that the disgraced former congressman was an appropriate figure to deliver the 'truth' surrounding Jeffrey Epstein's death, including his 'client list,' which MAGA has been up and arms about after the Department of Justice and FBI said they found no credible evidence it exists. Epstein died by suicide in his prison cell on August 10, 2019 and has long been the subject of conspiracy theories that he kept a secret list of famous and powerful people to whom he trafficked underage girls for sex. MAGA is deeply unhappy over the Trump administration's handling of the case. 'There has to be a special investigation into this if we aren't going to be provided information,' Boebert said Tuesday on The Benny Show. 'I want answers and maybe that takes that special counsel to do so. Maybe Matt Gaetz can lead the special counsel.' Gaetz, 43, was President Donald Trump's first pick for attorney general but his nomination was derailed over allegations that he paid for sex, including with a 17-year-old girl. Gaetz, who denies any wrongdoing, withdrew from the nomination in mid-November after the uproar, but a bombshell House Ethics Committee report published in December detailed his alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use while he was in Congress. The committee determined there was 'substantial evidence' that Gaetz violated House rules 'and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.' After appearing on the podcast, Boebert asked Gaetz directly if he would consider her suggestion. 'We deserve the truth about the Epstein Files. I'm ready for a Special Counsel to handle this,' Boebert wrote in a post on X. '@MattGaetz, how about it?' Gaetz, who often backs his replacement Attorney General Pam Bondi on his News Max show, didn't publicly respond to Boebert's post. Boebert also told MAGA host Benny Johnson that she is 'absolutely' in favor of getting Epstein's madam, Ghislaine Maxwell, to testify. 'Of course we want answers. No one is satisfied with what has been received or lack thereof. No one is satisfied with the rollout of this,' she said. MAGA outrage over the Epstein files has rumbled on for more than a week, despite the White House's attempts to put a lid on it. Last week the Justice Department and FBI issued a memo that there was no client list and no additional files relating to the case would be made public. The agencies had determined that no 'further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted,' much was sealed by a court to protect Epstein's victims, and 'only a fraction of it 'would have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial.' Additionally, the memo said that no further charges were expected as investigators 'did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.' Trump, who pledged to release the Epstein files during his campaign, said the case was 'boring' in remarks to reporters Tuesday. 'I don't understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody,' Trump said. 'It's pretty boring stuff. I think really only pretty bad people, including fake news, want to keep something like that going.' Democrats have also seized upon the upset and attempted to force a vote Tuesday in the House to release the files but it was blocked by Republicans.
The Independent
2 minutes ago
- The Independent
Elon Musk changed his phone number after nasty split with Trump, says Mike Johnson
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson claims billionaire and CEO Elon Musk changed his phone number after his public falling-out with President Donald Trump. Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, told The New York Post he discovered the change while trying to text Musk amid the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' drama. Johnson previously said Musk ghosted him after the billionaire blew up at Trump over the sweeping spending and tax bill, which cuts taxes for wealthy Americans while curbing access to healthcare and food access programs for millions. 'I sent him a long text message, and then his phone number changed, because after the blow-up, something happened with his,' Johnson told The New York Post. '[Later I] realized I was sending it out into the ether somewhere and he never read it, so I look forward to meeting with him in person,' he added. 'We got to make that right.' Musk, once known as the 'First Buddy,' sparked a public feud with the president last month over the 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' Trump's sweeping spending and tax bill. Trump signed the bill on July 4. But for a month leading up to its passage, Musk railed against it, arguing it would increase the budget deficit by $2.5 trillion. 'I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore,' Musk wrote of Trump's bill on June 3. 'This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.' Musk spent several months this year leading the Department of Government Efficiency 's efforts to slash government spending. Under his leadership, DOGE laid off hundreds of thousands of federal employees, hollowed out several agencies and terminated thousands of government contracts and grants. Musk and Trump continued to spar until June 5, when the former DOGE leader claimed the president appeared in the Epstein files. 'Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files,' Musk wrote. 'That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!' Tensions appeared to ease soon afterward. Musk expressed 'regret' on June 11 for the posts he made about the president, while Trump revealed he had 'no hard feelings' toward Musk. Soon after the bill was signed, Musk announced that he would be forming the new 'America Party.' 'When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,' he wrote on X. Trump called the idea 'ridiculous.' The president also threatened to 'take a look at' deporting Elon Musk to South Africa, where he was born and raised for several years.
