Texas Senate Democrats stalled for hours and attempted to stop the formation of a congressional redistricting committee, which could result in additional Republican seats during the midterm elections, as lawmakers convened in Austin for a special session on July 21.
The Texas Senate eventually voted 19–11 in favor of creating the committee after a marathon session on the first day of the 30-day special session.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s call for a special session includes “constitutional concerns” outlined in a U.S. Justice Department letter. The letter stated that four Texas districts are unconstitutional because they violate the Voting Rights Act and the 14th Amendment….