Texas and California redistricting: What to expect
CNN5 days
Texas Democrats End Walkout as Redistricting Battle Spreads
Above: Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu speaks during a press conference on Aug. 13, 2025 in Chicago. Image copyright: Jim Vondruska/Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
The Democrats are returning to Texas defeated, as they will again be powerless to stop Abbott's redistricting plan. These Democrats are hypocrites, considering the ridiculous gerrymandering California is now planning and the heavily gerrymandered maps in Illinois — the state where many of them sought refuge.
Democratic narrative
The Texas Democrats won by buying time for the California Democrats to pull their plan, which is favored by a majority of the state's voters, together in order to counter Texas' proposed maps. A message has been sent to Texas and other Republican-led states that Democrats can also play the redistricting game.