Texas Senate Democrats and Mi Familia Vota: New Redistricting Plan Cheats Latino Voters

Austin, TX—The Texas Senate Democratic Caucus and Mi Familia Vota today condemned the Legislature’s mid-decade redistricting plan, warning it slashes Latino representation, repeats decades of discriminatory practices, and distracts from Texans’ urgent need for flood relief.

“Texans have been clear: they need flood relief now,” said Senator José Menéndez. “Forty-seven days after the July 4 floods, families are still waiting. The Governor has the authority to deliver aid immediately, instead, he’s called two special sessions to redraw congressional maps. This map counts Latino residents but sidelines Latino voters—and Texans deserve better.”

Under the proposed maps, Latinos—who make up nearly 40% of Texas’s population—would be the majority in only 8 of 38 congressional districts, just over one- fifth. Multiracial coalition districts would shrink from nine to four.

Héctor Sánchez Barba, President and CEO, Mi Familia Vota, said the plan is a direct attack on Latino political power: “Latino families are the backbone of Texas’s present and future, yet they are being cheated out of fair political representation by unscrupulous politicians. The cynical map drawn by Abbott and the Republican Legislature is clearly intended to silence minority voices. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is clear that no state can dilute minority voting strength. That’s why Texas has been struck down for discriminatory maps every decade for 50 years, and this Trump-ordered attempt to avoid accountability by rigging the rules will be no different.”

Senators highlighted examples across the state where voters of color are systematically weakened:

• South Texas: Longtime Latino districts (TX-28, TX-34) are cracked and redrawn into Republican-leaning seats.

• Urban Areas: Black and Latino voters in Houston and Dallas are packed into already-safe Democratic districts, stripping their influence elsewhere.

• Central Texas: Hays County, a diverse and growing area, is split between two Republican districts to dilute its sway.

• “Latino-Majority” Seats: New districts in Houston and San Antonio are drawn to appear Hispanic-majority, but lean Republican by 10–15 points, undermining effective voting power.

“Every decade, Texas courts have struck down maps for discrimination,” said Senator Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio. “This map is no different. It’s a cynical attempt to weaken Latino, Black, and Asian communities while Texans wait for the flood relief they were promised.”

“This is about leaders avoiding responsibility for unpopular policies, from cutting health care and food assistance to raising costs for working families,” continued Gutierrez. “Texans want leaders who focus on rebuilding and helping families make ends meet, not rewriting political maps for Washington insiders and billionaire donors.”

LOS DEMÓCRATAS DEL SENADO DE TEXAS Y MI FAMILIA VOTA: EL NUEVO PLAN DE REDISTRIBUCIÓN ENGAÑA A LOS VOTANTES LATINOS E IGNORA LA NECESIDAD DE ALIVIO POR LAS INUNDACIONES

Austin, TX—El Caucus Demócrata del Senado de Texas y Mi Familia Vota condenaron hoy el plan abrupto de redistribución propuesto por la legislatura, advirtiendo que disminuye la representación latina, repite décadas de prácticas discriminatorias y desvía la atención de la urgencia de alivio por inundaciones en Texas.

“Los tejanos han sido claros: necesitan alivio por las inundaciones ahora”, dijo el Senador José Menéndez. “Cuarenta y siete días después de las inundaciones del 4 de julio, las familias siguen esperando. El Gobernador tiene la autoridad de dar la ayuda de inmediato; en lugar de eso, ha convocado dos sesiones especiales para volver a trazar los mapas congresionales. Este mapa cuenta a los residentes latinos pero deja de lado a los votantes latinos—y los tejanos merecen algo mejor.”

En los mapas propuestos, los latinos—que constituyen casi el 40% de la población de Texas—serían mayoría en solo 8 de los 38 distritos congresionales, apenas un quinto. Los distritos multirraciales se reducirían de nueve a cuatro.

Héctor Sánchez Barba, Presidente y Director Ejecutivo de Mi Familia Vota, señaló que el plan es un ataque directo al poder político latino: “Las familias latinas son la base del presente y futuro de Texas. Sin embargo, estos mapas engañan a nuestras comunidades y les niegan una representación justa. La Sección 2 de The Voting Rights Act es clara: no se puede diluir la fuerza electoral de las minorías. Los tribunales han invalidado mapas discriminatorios en Texas cada década durante los últimos 50 años, y este plan no será la excepción.”

Los senadores demuestran ejemplos en todo el estado donde los votantes de color son sistemáticamente debilitados:

• Sur de Texas: Distritos latinos de larga trayectoria (TX-28, TX-34) son fragmentados y rediseñados como puestos con influencias republicanas.

• Áreas urbanas: Votantes negros y latinos en Houston y Dallas estan concentrados en distritos demócratas ya seguros, limitando su influencia en otras zonas.

• Centro de Texas: El condado Hays, un área diversa y en crecimiento, se divide entre dos distritos republicanos para diluir su peso electoral.

• “Distritos de mayoría latina”: Nuevos distritos en Houston y San Antonio se trazan para aparentar que son de mayoría hispana, pero en realidad tienen una inclinación republicana de 10 a 15 puntos, lo que debilita el poder del voto colectivo.

“Cada década, los tribunales de Texas han anulado mapas por discriminación”, dijo el Senador Roland Gutierrez de San Antonio. “Este mapa no es diferente. Es un intento cínico de debilitar a las comunidades latinas, negras y asiáticas mientras los tejanos siguen esperando el alivio por las inundaciones que se les prometió.”

“Se trata de líderes que evaden su responsabilidad por políticas impopulares, desde recortes a la atención médica y la asistencia federal hasta el aumento de los costos para las familias trabajadoras”, continuó Gutierrez. “Los tejanos quieren líderes que se concentren en reconstruir y ayudar a las familias a salir adelante, no en reescribir mapas políticos para los intereses de Washington y los donantes multimillonarios.”

Texas Senate Democrats: 42 Days Without Flood Relief—Texans Deserve Action

AUSTIN, TX—The Texas Senate Democratic Caucus issued the following statement after Gov. Greg Abbott called yet another special session:

“Texans have been clear about what they need right now: flood relief. That’s everyone’s priority. And Gov. Abbott has had the power to deliver relief funds to communities devastated by the July 4th floods using the same emergency budget authority that he’s used before—from Operation Lone Star to school safety. He does not need to wait for the Legislature to act. But it’s been 42 days, and Texans are still waiting. Let’s be clear: If the governor’s hands are tied, it’s because he has chosen to tie them himself. 

“Mid-decade redistricting is not what Texans are asking for. This is not about fair representation. It’s about politicians manipulating maps to avoid accountability for unpopular policies that eliminate health care and food assistance for millions of Americans and for tariffs that raise the costs of living for working families. If they can get away with doing this now, they will set a precedent for politicians to redraw maps to pick their voters before every election, leaving voters with no real say at all.

“Texans want leaders who focus on rebuilding and helping families make ends meet, not on rewriting the political maps for the benefit of DC insiders and billionaire donors.

“We again call on Gov. Abbott to use his authority to provide emergency funds to address flood recovery and disaster preparedness now—and to stop holding it hostage for an unconstitutional redistricting scheme that robs millions of minority Texans of their vote.”

Senate Democrats: Flood Relief Must Come Before Politics

AUSTIN, TX—The Texas Senate Democratic Caucus released the following statement on the walkout following the consideration of S.B. 4:

Texans are clear—our top priority must be flood relief and disaster preparedness. Families devastated by the July 4 th floods cannot afford more delays. Governor Abbott has the power to move relief funds to survivors immediately using the same emergency budget authority he’s used many times—for his border wall, school safety and even to restore the legislature’s own funding. But now, he’s tying the passage of urgently needed relief to an unconstitutional redistricting plan.

Abbott could make an interim budget transfer right now to get help out the door—without legislation. He could call a new special session focused solely on flood relief and preparedness. He could even work to get FEMA funds released without a state match. But he won’t because he’s marching to the orders of DC bosses and billionaire donors, holding Texans hostage to their corrupt redistricting scheme.

This mid-decade redistricting isn’t about fair representation—it’s about politicians picking their voters instead of voters choosing their leaders. And it doesn’t stop here. If they can gerrymander now, they can and will do it before every election.

That’s why we walked out—because this session should only be about flood relief, and we refuse to engage in a corrupt process. Texans deserve leaders who put people over politics. We deserve a government that, at the very least, delivers in times of crisis.

State leaders have a choice: move the funds immediately or keep playing political games with Texans’ lives. If the special session ends without flood relief, Texans will know exactly who to blame—and it’s not the Democrats who are fighting for them.

Texas Senate Democrats: Focus On Texas Recovery, Not Trump’s Redistricting Politics

AUSTIN, TX—The following is a statement from the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus regarding Governor Abbott’s (and President Trump’s) Special Session:

“Texas legislators are returning to Austin during a critical time when many communities are still recovering from the devastating July 4th floods. With 135 killed, it’s one of the deadliest disasters in the state’s modern history. Homes remain damaged, families displaced and recovery efforts ongoing. We must be laser-focused on helping Texans rebuild—not on political maneuvering to save an unpopular president in the next election.

“Instead of focusing on urgent recovery, state leaders are pushing a politically motivated mid-decade redistricting scheme with no legal justification, no court order and no demographic necessity—just fear of losing seats. They want to redraw maps to entrench GOP power by silencing the voices of communities of color and working families who have already been marginalized under the current maps. This is about keeping Trump in power, not Texans’ well-being.

“Texas Senate Democrats are back in Austin with one mission: demand real flood recovery now. We call for immediate investments in levees, drainage, emergency systems and fast, barrier-free disaster aid.

“This session must be about rebuilding communities, not rigging elections. Texans deserve leaders who put Texans first, not those who let Trump use Texas for his political agenda.”