Republican lawmakers are pursuing the unusual mid-decade redistricting plan amid pressure from President Donald Trump to protect the GOP’s slim majority in the U.S. House.

After a long day of debate, the Texas House of Representatives passed GOP-favored congressional maps Wednesday evening that could flip five Democratic districts.

The maps, which create up to five new winnable GOP seats in Congress ahead of the 2026 midterms, still need to be approved by the state Senate and signed by Governor Greg Abbott.

The new map could secure the GOP five additional seats in Congress in next year's midterms. Democrats say they now plan to challenge the map in court.

The Republican-controlled Texas House of Representatives passed Wednesday a redrawn congressional map that creates up to five new winnable GOP seats in Congress.

Texas state Rep. Briscoe Cain is running for the newly redrawn 9th Congressional District seat, which will likely be a solid red district.

Two more candidates have announced their campaign for Texas House of Representatives District 71. Taylor County rancher Liz Case and former Abilene city councilmember and businessman Jay Hardaway went public with their campaigns Friday morning,

The Texas Senate has approved a Trump backed redistricting bill that could gain the GOP five House seats in 2026.

House Speaker Dustin Burrows said Monday that Democrats who previously left the state could not leave the chamber unless they agreed to having a DPS escort. Collier refused one and must remain in the chamber.