WASHINGTON — Texas Republicans in the U.S. House were hesitant Tuesday to say much about a reported push to change congressional district boundaries in the state ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The New York Times published a story this week, citing unnamed sources, that President Donald Trump’s political operation wants Texas Republicans to consider a rare mid-decade redistricting. The Times reported redistricting was the subject of an “emergency” Monday night Texas GOP delegation meeting.
“I’m anxious to hear more about it so I can have an opinion,” U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock, said Tuesday when asked about the redistricting talk.
The party that controls the White House typically loses congressional seats in mid and Republicans now hold a narrow majority in the House.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
The Texas Legislature is not set to meet again until 2027, so changing the lines in time for next year’s election would require a special session.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday he’s not ready to call a special legislative session that would allow lawmakers to redraw congressional district boundaries.
He would not share whether the president has asked him to call a special session on redistricting.
A move to redraw congressional lines to increase the number of GOP seats carries potential risk for any Republican incumbents who could end up with more competitive districts.
Arrington said everyone is open to hearing a pitch for redistricting, but some have more concerns than others.
“I’ve got the most Republican seat in Texas,” Arrington said. “If there’s any way we can, guys that are in ruby red districts, can be helpful in this process and we can add more Republican seats, that’s great.”
He said other Republicans in the delegation have seen their districts move from single- to double-digit margins, however.
“It’s just a question of how much can you stretch the rubber band before it breaks,” Arrington said. “And I don’t know the answer to that.”
He said he’s confident any redistricting would be done in compliance with the law and pushed back on Democratic suggestions that Republicans want to rig the system. He said Democrats have pushed for maps advantageous to their party in the past.
“I wouldn’t be throwing those rocks from a glass house,” he said.
U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Waco, told The Times lawmakers planned to gather again to “be on the same page.”
“We assured each other, you need to bone up. We need to have a conversation. We need to think about what those impacts would be on the entire delegation,” Sessions said, according to The Times.
In a brief interview Tuesday with The Dallas Morning News, Sessions declined to share more information.
“We only learned about it yesterday,” Sessions said.
Other Texas Republicans in Washington were similarly tight-lipped when asked about redistricting, declining comment or saying they had no information to share.
“I don’t know anything about it,” said U.S. Rep. Jake Ellzey of Midlothian.
“I don’t know nothing,” said U.S. Rep. Pat Fallon of Frisco.
Texas Democrats said talk about redistricting shows Republicans are worried voters will reject their policies in next year’s mid.
“Texas Democrats are not going to just roll over and let them steal the voice of our state,” Texas Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder said in a news release. “We’re going to fight like hell and do whatever it takes to ensure that Texans get to choose our own representatives to the United States Congress who work for us, not for Donald Trump.”
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said the redistricting would be a “pure partisan power grab” likely to turn off more moderate and independent voters and could make Republican incumbents more vulnerable.
“They need to be careful what they wish for,” Escobar said.
U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, R-Woodville, was asked by reporters if the discussion about redistricting indicated Republicans are worried about their prospects in the mid.
“We’re always concerned about the mid,” Babin said. “Who wants to go into the ... minority? I don’t.”