#texaspolitics

🚨 On Aug 3, 2025, 50+ Texas House Democrats literally left the state—killing not just redistricting, but flood relief after July’s deadly storms. Abbott & Paxton say they’ve abandoned their oaths. Expulsion? Arrest? You decide.

🔗 READ/LISTEN: https://www.undergroundusa.com/p/texas-democrats-betrayal-of-duty

🧩 Trump's Mid-Decade Redistricting Push: A New Gerrymandering War Begins

Former President Donald Trump has urged Republican-led states to redraw congressional maps—again—despite redistricting normally happening only once per decade after the census. This move is aimed at securing GOP control of the U.S. House in 2026.

The primary target? Texas.

🟥 Texas: Gerrymandering on Overdrive

Trump directly called on Texas Republicans to redraw their congressional districts to net up to five new GOP seats. And despite this going against traditional redistricting cycles, Texas Republicans are following through.

📌 Key facts about Texas redistricting:

95% of Texas’s population growth in the past decade came from Black, Latino, and Asian communities (Dallas Weekly).

Yet the GOP’s current and proposed maps expand white-majority districts—minimizing the voting strength of communities of color.

The Department of Justice flagged four current districts as likely unconstitutional racial gerrymanders under the Voting Rights Act, giving the GOP a legal excuse to redraw (Democracy Docket).

This redistricting would rely on packing and cracking—common gerrymandering strategies that dilute Democratic and minority voting power (TIME).

🧨 Experts say it could backfire (a “dummymander”) by making currently safe GOP seats more competitive (Texas Tribune).

🗺️ What Other States Are Involved?

Texas isn’t the only one. Trump is reportedly pressuring multiple GOP-led states to launch similar redistricting efforts:

Ohio is already in motion to expand its GOP congressional advantage (WDIO/AP).

Missouri, Indiana, and Kansas are on the radar for similar partisan redraws (AP News).

The goal is simple: carve out more Republican districts ahead of 2026, regardless of demographic shifts or fairness.

🟦 Democrats: Preparing to Push Back

While many blue states use independent commissions, some Democratic leaders are exploring countermeasures:

California, New York, Illinois, Washington, and New Jersey may see Democratic-led redraws—if legal or legislative avenues allow.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Gov. Gavin Newsom are reportedly exploring ways to respond (SF Chronicle).

⚖️ Why It Matters

This is not just a political game. These mid-decade redraws are:

A direct attempt to undermine the will of a growing, more diverse electorate.

A strategic move to cement minority rule in the House.

Likely to face massive legal battles, voter pushback, and potential backfire for the GOP.

The redistricting fight of 2021 may have just been the opening act.

📰 Sources & Further Reading:

Reuters: Trump-backed Texas redistricting effort

TIME: Gerrymandering vs. Redistricting Explained

Democracy Docket: DOJ letter as pretext

AP News: Multi-state redistricting pressure

Texas Tribune: Redistricting overreach risks

Dallas Weekly: Texas GOP's demographic contradiction

SF Chronicle: Democrats' response plan

Below is a deep dive into Austin’s gerrymandering problem. It includes defining gerrymandering, a look into how Austin’s congressional districts are drawn, some actions we can take to make this drawing more fair, and more. 

Note: while gerrymandering can occur in any electoral district, this post focuses on US congressional districts in Austin, Texas. 

The Redistricting Process

To best understand gerrymandering, it's important to understand the redistricting process. 

Every part of the country is divided into different congressional districts. Each district is represented by one congressperson. Redistricting is the process of drawing these districts so that each congressperson represents a relatively equal amount of people.

In every year ending with a zero, the US Census Bureau aims to count every person in the country or every American citizen, depending on the party in power. (Trump did not want to count undocumented folks. Biden will.)

This data is then used in reapportion, where it is decided how many congressional seats/districts each state receives based on population. Typically, the reapportion report is delivered by the US Census Bureau on the last day of the year. This year it is expected by April 30th. This year, Texas is expected to gain three seats. California is expected to lose one.

Next, the US Census Bureau releases redistricting data to the states. Typically this happens for April of the next year, but this year it will happen before September 30th. States then utilize different methods to redraw district lines.

Who redraws the lines depends on the state. While 21 states currently utilize some sort of nonpartisan redistricting committee, in Texas, the state legislature is in charge of redrawing the lines. The current Texas redistricting committee includes 10 republicans and 7 democrats.

"Redistricting is like an election in reverse. It's a great event. Usually the voters get to pick the politicians. In redistricting, the politicians get to pick the voters." - Thomas Hofeller, Redistricting Chair of the Republican National Committee

What is gerrymandering?

"The practice of dividing or arranging a territorial unit into election districts in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage in elections" - Merriam-Webster Definition

Gerrymandering refers to when electoral districts are drawn to favor one group of people over another. This often means that districts are drawn counterintuitively and in strange shapes so that like-minded voters are separated into one district instead of spread out over multiple districts. Because these voters end up in the same district, they are only able to win that one district instead of the multiple districts they could win if the districts were drawn fairly. 

The word "gerrymandering" is named after Elbridge Gerry. (pronounced Gary.) While he was governor of Massachusetts in 1812, he helped create a partisan district of Boston that resembled a salamander. This led to the district electing three Democratic Republicans into historically Federalist seats that same year. While this wasn't the first time the US experienced gerrymandering, this was the first time a name stuck to the practice.

salamander district, via vox/boston centinel 1812

Today, gerrymandered districts play a massive role in keeping political parties in power. While both democrats and republicans are guilty of gerrymandering, the majority of gerrymandered districts are drawn by republicans. In 2010, Republicans launched "REDMAP" which utilized software to strategically redistrict in favor of republicans. This led them to retain control of the US house by 33 seats, even though democrats had a one million voter majority. Additionally, AP found almost four times as many republican skewed states than democrat in 2016. An AP analysis indicated that Republicans won 16 more congressional seats in 2018 because of gerrymandering than they would have with fairly drawn districts.

"When the representatives are drawing their constituencies in a way that allows them to choose their constituents, you've reversed the dynamic quite fundamentally." - John Akred

Gerrymandering Strategies

There are many tactics used in gerrymandering districts, but the two main ones are cracking and packing. Note: there are even *more* methods of gerrymandering than those included on this list. 

Cracking - Cracking is when voters of the opposing party are "cracked" or split into many different districts so their voting power is diluted across many districts.

Packing - Packing is when all voters of the opposing party are "packed" into one district to reduce their voting power in other districts.

Kidnapping - Kidnapping is when an incumbent's home address is moved to a different district making reelection more difficult.

Incumbent Protection - Incumbent Protection is when redistricters use any of the above strategies or others to create districts that favor the incumbent over the opponent.

Additionally, there are two main kinds of gerrymandering: racial and partisan.

Racial - Racial gerrymandering seeks to disempower voters of a race or races of people. Racial gerrymandering is illegal but still frequent throughout the country.

Partisan - Partisan gerrymandering seeks to disempower voters of one political party. In many cases, partisan gerrymandering is racial gerrymandering.

What does it look like?

While gerrymandering can occur in any electoral districts, this post is focused on US congressional districts in Austin, Texas. 

Here’s what the six congressional districts in Austin look like: 

via The Austin Chronicle

A Closer Look at Austin’s Districts 

Despite Austin being a heavily blue-voting city, five of the six congressional districts are represented by Republicans. This is one reason why Austin has been identified as one of the worst cases of gerrymandering in the country.

Austin is mostly gerrymandered using the "cracking" method. Austin's blue voters have been spread out among multiple districts, all of which include large swaths of country towns. For example, district 25 travels from Austin all the way to Fort Worth, district 17 travels beyond Waco, and district 10 touches Houston. By including hundreds of small Texas towns into Austin's congressional districts, the firmly red voters in the country outweigh the blue city voters. This design is intentional, and is slated to get much worse this year unless we receive federal protection.

district 10 (michael mccaul-r)

57% caucasian

26% hispanic

10% black

5% asian

.6% indigenous

district 17 (pete sessions-r)

57% caucasian

26% hispanic

13% black

5% asian

.5% indigenous

district 21 (chip roy-r)

62% caucasian

30% hispanic

4% black

4% asian

.5% indigenous

district 25 (roger williams-r)

70% caucasian

19% hispanic

8% black

3% asian

.5% indigenous

district 31 (john carter-r)

59% caucasian

24% hispanic

11% black

5% asian

.4% indigenous

district 35 (lloyd dogget-d)

26% caucasian

61% hispanic

10% black

2% asian

.5% indigenous

Additionally, district 35 is packed. Hispanic voters are grouped together from East Austin to San Antonio so that their voting power is isolated to only one district instead of many districts.

You can view an interactive district drawing map here.

Why this is Bad

Gerrymandering is a racist tool that politicians use to strip minority voters of their political power. If we do not stop gerrymandering in it's tracks right now, districts will be redrawn to be even more oppressive than they are now.

Though racial gerrymandering is illegal, Texas districts still get away with it. In 2018, a seven year legal battle regarding Texas's racially gerrymandered districts (like district 35) ended because the Supreme Court rejected nearly all claims.

Districts in Texas are drawn strategically so Republicans retain power. We need a fair districting map to ever have a realistic chance of unseating republicans.

A Possible Solution

Independent Commissions - 21 states are currently using some sort of nonpartisan commission to redraw their maps. Utilizing independent commissions means districts are drawn sensibly and without favoritism for one group or another.

HR1 is an act that recently passed congress seeking to implement independent redistricting commissions for every state. Should it pass the senate, we would no longer have to trust Republican legislators to draw our district maps.

There are other possible solutions including proportional representation, using artificial intelligence, and ranked choice voting. However, independent commissions seem to be the most realistic future for Texan gerrymandering prevention at this time.

What We Can Do

1. Register ASAP to speak at the Texas Senate's public hearing on Thursday, March 11th at 9am!

The Texas Senate is having a public hearing about Austin's congressional districts on Thursday, March 11th at 9am on Zoom. This is an opportunity for the public to "share details about their local communities and information that they believe is relevant to the upcoming redistricting process." Sign up and tell Texan representatives why your community should be kept together in the redistricting process. Request and independent commission be used if possible. The Texas government canNOT be trusted to draw districts fairly.

Sign up to testify at bit.ly/2OdIgE0

Testimony Guide at fairmapstexas.org/testimony-guides

Leave a written comment at senate.texas.gov/redistrictingcomment

2. Call your senators and tell them to vote YES on HR1, the For the People Act!

The For the People Act would incorporate 800 pages of voting rights legislation. Among other things, it would guarantee mail in voting and at least 15 days of early voting for federal elections, would require states to automatically register citizens to vote, would restore voting rights to felons who have completed their sentences, and would require all states to use an independent citizen commission to draw congressional districts.

HR1 passed the US House on March 3rd. To pass the senate, all 48 democrats and the two independents would need to be joined by 10 republicans to overcome a filibuster.

Will Ted Cruz & John Cornyn vote yes on this bill? Very unlikely.

Should we let them know how we feel by blowing up their inboxes anyways? Yes.

Ted Cruz: (512) 916-5834 - email him here.

John Cornyn: (202) 224-2934 - email him here.

"Historically, gerrymandering has been used both as a racist weapon to undermine the political power of minority communities and a political weapon to ensure partisan advantage... Gerrymandering fundamentally undermines a fair and representative democracy." 

****act now. sign up to testify. call your senators. ensure a fair redistricting process.****

Additional Reading:

https://www.keranews.org/2019-04-14/texas-matters-gerrymandering-in-texas

https://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/

https://www.caller.com/story/news/local/2019/11/01/why-redistricting-important-and-why-should-you-participate-texas-democrats-republicans/4103303002/

Sources: 

The Redistricting Process Sources: 

https://indivisible.org/resource/fighting-gerrymandering-states

https://ballotpedia.org/Redistricting_in_Texas_after_the_2020_census

https://www.npr.org/2020/11/30/940116088/supreme-court-weighs-trump-plan-to-cut-undocumented-immigrants-from-census

https://www.npr.org/sections/inauguration-day-live-updates/2021/01/20/958376223/biden-to-end-trump-census-policy-ensuring-all-persons-living-in-u-s-are-counted

https://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/2019/06/28/lt-gov-patrick-announces-2021-redistricting-committee/

https://www.c-span.org/video/?165594-3/2000-redistricting-review

What is Gerrymandering? Sources:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gerrymandering

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/03/01/this-is-the-best-explanation-of-gerrymandering-you-will-ever-see/

https://www.vox.com/2014/8/5/17991968/gerrymandering-name-elbridge-gerry

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/REDMAP

https://www.businessinsider.com/partisan-gerrymandering-has-benefited-republicans-more-than-democrats-2017-6

https://apnews.com/article/9fd72a4c1c5742aead977ee27815d776

https://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2017-07-28/big-data-and-the-gerrymandering-of-america

Gerrymandering Strategies Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrymandering#:~:text=Two%20principal%20tactics%20are%20used,voting%20power%20in%20other%20districts). 

https://www.policymap.com/2017/08/a-deeper-look-at-gerrymandering/

https://www.vox.com/videos/2017/7/24/16012440/racial-partisan-gerrymandering-redistricting-supreme-court-video

What Does it Look Like? Source:

https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2018-02-09/u-s-congress/

A Closer Look at Austin’s Districts Sources:

https://thefulcrum.us/worst-gerrymandering-districts-example/7-austin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas%27s_10th_congressional_district

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas%27s_17th_congressional_district

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas%27s_21st_congressional_district

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas%27s_25th_congressional_district

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas%27s_31st_congressional_district

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas%27s_35th_congressional_district

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/redistricting-maps/texas/

Why this is Bad Sources:

https://indivisible.org/resource/fighting-gerrymandering-states

https://newrepublic.com/article/149357/texas-republicans-got-away-racially-discriminatory-electoral-map

https://www.caller.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/02/27/texas-republicans-democrats-gerrymandering-legislative-districts-voter-suppression/4545917002/

A Possible Solution Sources:

https://apnews.com/article/4d2e2aea7e224549af61699e51c955dd

https://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1072&context=vlr

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1/text

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/03/05/hr1-bill-what-is-it/

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/11/16453512/gerrymandering-proportional-representation

https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/04/ai-drawn-voting-districts-could-help-stamp-out-gerrymandering/

https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/473788-replacing-winner-takes-all-system-would-end-gerrymandering

What We Can Do Sources:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJItde6gpjMvH9Mn_8FA26GFQaVkPVxEzQNL

fairmapstexas.org/testimony-guides

senate.texas.gov/redistrictingcomment

https://www.vox.com/2021/3/3/22309123/house-democrats-pass-voting-rights-bill-hr1

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/five-ways-hr-1-would-transform-redistricting

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-house/u-s-house-passes-sweeping-election-bill-senate-prospects-unclear-idUSKCN2AV2JM

https://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=form&id=16

Ken Paxton: The Controversial Conservative Powerhouse Shaping Texas Politics

Few political figures in modern Texas politics generate as much attention, controversy, and influence as Ken Paxton. As the longtime Attorney General of Texas, Paxton has become one of the most recognizable conservative leaders in the United States, known for his aggressive legal battles, unwavering support for Republican priorities, and headline-making political controversies.

Whether praised as a defender of conservative values or criticized for ongoing legal and ethical disputes, Paxton remains a dominant force in both Texas and national politics. His career reflects the increasingly polarized political climate in America, where ideological loyalty and legal controversy often collide on the public stage.

Early Life and Political Background

Born in North Dakota and raised primarily in Texas, Ken Paxton built his early career through business, law, and public service. He graduated from Baylor University before earning a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Before becoming Texas Attorney General, Paxton served in the Texas House of Representatives and later in the Texas Senate, where he quickly established himself as a staunch conservative voice focused on limited government, religious liberty, gun rights, and opposition to federal overreach.

His growing popularity among Republican voters helped propel him to statewide office.

Becoming Texas Attorney General

In 2015, Ken Paxton officially became Attorney General of Texas, taking control of one of the most powerful legal offices in the country.

Almost immediately, Paxton positioned Texas at the center of major national legal battles involving:

Immigration policy

Federal regulations

Border security

Religious freedom

Voting laws

Healthcare policy

Second Amendment rights

Under his leadership, Texas frequently challenged actions taken by presidential administrations in federal court, making Paxton a national figure within conservative political circles.

Supporters viewed him as a fearless constitutional defender willing to confront Washington, while critics argued that many of his lawsuits were politically motivated.

National Conservative Influence

Paxton’s influence expanded significantly during the rise of modern conservative populism in American politics. He became closely associated with Republican efforts to challenge federal authority and promote stricter immigration enforcement.

His office played a major role in lawsuits related to border security and election procedures, helping transform Texas into a legal battleground for national political issues.

Among conservative voters, Paxton developed a reputation as a politician willing to aggressively fight ideological opponents in court. His public image became especially strong among grassroots Republican activists who valued confrontational leadership styles.

Legal Challenges and Controversies

Despite his political success, Paxton’s career has also been overshadowed by numerous legal controversies.

Over the years, he has faced investigations, securities fraud allegations, impeachment proceedings, and accusations involving abuse of office. These controversies repeatedly attracted national media attention and intensified political divisions surrounding his leadership.

One of the most dramatic moments of his career came when the Texas House of Representatives voted to impeach him in 2023 on multiple allegations involving misconduct and corruption.

However, Paxton was later acquitted in the Texas Senate, allowing him to remain in office and claim political victory among supporters.

The impeachment battle further strengthened his standing among many conservative voters who believed he was being targeted for political reasons.

Political Style and Public Image

Ken Paxton’s political identity is built around confrontation and ideological consistency. Unlike moderate Republicans who seek bipartisan compromise, Paxton has embraced a more combative approach that appeals strongly to conservative grassroots voters.

His public messaging often emphasizes:

States’ rights

Constitutional originalism

Opposition to federal intervention

Conservative social policies

Border enforcement

Election integrity

This strategy has made him one of the most influential conservative attorneys general in the United States.

At the same time, critics argue that his leadership style contributes to political polarization and undermines public trust in institutions.

Influence on Texas and National Politics

Texas holds enormous influence within the American political system due to its population, economy, and electoral importance. As Attorney General, Paxton has used his office to shape debates far beyond state borders.

Legal actions originating in Texas frequently affect national policy discussions, especially on immigration and federal-state relations.

His ability to remain politically resilient despite years of controversy demonstrates the evolving dynamics of modern American politics, where partisan loyalty often outweighs traditional political vulnerabilities.

Authors Joe Hernandez and others are putting this information out here to help.

For a moment contrast this information with the oligarchs - soon to be TRILLionaires - living in this country.

Six Supreme Court justices say to each of us, “WE RULE. WE COMMAND what you can and cannot do.”

If you’re sad, feeling alone and helpless, like I am 98% of the time, please know you’re not alone. We are here together in this god-forsaken hellscape, but we’re going to fight. We’re not going anywhere. We need to swim together (Nemo).

I’m thinking of pacing up and down in front of our public library. I can’t have a sign saying “Goddamn all trump supporters to hell for all eternity” (like Madam Zeroni) because I’ll get shot. Maybe my sign will say, “Please don’t vote for those who hurt our family and friends.” Maybe a giant QR code to the website showing our national debt.

Personal venting warning:

Where will the rebellion against tyranny begin?

Who will be the leaders?

What will the much-amended constitution say?

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