Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed legislation for a new congressional map in the state in an attempt to add five GOP seats in the U.S. House for the 2026 midterm elections.
The border-changing in the Lone Star state has triggered efforts in other states to redraw their maps, including Democrat-dominant California, the largest state ahead of Texas.
Early Saturday, the Texas Senate sent the legislation to the governor for the new redistricting maps, three days after the state's House passed the bill. For several days, the House couldn't reach a quorum because Democrats fled the state, including to California and New York. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton sought to arrest them.
"Today, I signed the One Big Beautiful Map into law," Abbott said in a video on X. "This map ensures fairer representation in Congress. Texas will be more RED in Congress."
BREAKING: Governor @GregAbbott_TX signed the One Big Beautiful Map into law.
