Republicans control both chambers of the Texas Legislature, which draws congressional districts. GOP lawmakers in 2021 gave their party an advantage in Congress when they drew the district boundaries. Giving one political party an advantage over the other, or gerrymandering, is something both parties do in states across the country.
Under this year’s proposed plan, Democratic districts in the Dallas and Houston areas were drawn to increase, or “pack”, the number of Democratic voters in districts the minority party already controls. Packing those districts leaves fewer Democratic voters and more Republican voters in neighboring districts. Consolidating more Democrats into nearby districts could turn seats represented by Democratic U.S. Reps. Julie Johnson in North Texas’ 32nd District and Al Green in the Houston area’s 9th District into Republican districts.
In Hays County, 52.1% of voters chose Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024. Under the new proposal, that county south of Austin is split into two Republican districts, the 21st District and 27th District. Decreasing a party’s voting strength is called “cracking.”