Redistricting

GOP Gerrymandering Made the Texas Midterms Kind of Boring

Only a handful of the state’s 219 legislative and congressional races were competitive. That was by design.

Forget About November. Thanks to Gerrymandering, the Texas Primary Matters More Than Ever.

The new maps have done away with nearly every competitive district, meaning most races will be decided next week or in the May runoffs.

How Republican Lawmakers Might Redraw the Texas Congressional Map

The state is expected to receive three new U.S. House seats. But those looking to expand the GOP majority in the congressional delegation won’t have an easy task.

The Biggest Fight in the State? Control Over the Texas House.

For the first time in a decade the Texas House—and influence over redistricting—is in play. Will it slip out of the Democratic party’s grasp once again?

State Readies for Second Phase of Redistricting Trial

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas is going to reopen the redistricting case left over from 2011. The first phase of the case involves the maps for the Texas House of Representatives; the second involves the U.S. House maps for 2011. The case comes at an

Help Unwanted

The illogical politics of immigration reform.

Regarding the Redistricting Op-Ed by Perry and Dewhurst

Governor Perry and Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst published an op-ed piece on redistricting in today’s Houston Chronicle. Here is an excerpt:Following every federal census, the Texas Constitution requires the Texas Legislature to draw new district boundaries for the Texas House of Representatives, Texas Senate and U.S. Congress, which the Legislature did

Abbott’s Redistricting Play

Attorney general Greg Abbott’s push to reopen the redistricting battle that was waged in 2011 and wound up in the federal courts threatens to blow up the session. The District Court of the District of Columbia has already ruled that Republican lawmakers intentionally discriminated against minority voters while

What Does the Likely Primary Date Mean for Elections?

The newest Texas primary date, which will "probably" be held on May 29, affects more than congressional races. 

Top Five Courtroom Moments of the Year

When it comes to courtroom drama, Texas never disappoints, and this year was no exception. 

Win the Weekend: What Texas is Talking About

Whether you’re enjoying icy oysters on a cold, winter night or you’re sitting through another relative’s diatribe about the economy, we’ll give you something to talk about.

Lingering Redistricting Objections From Black Caucus

The Texas Legislative Black Caucus is not happy with proposed interim House map, but some argue that African Americans are fairly represented.

Fightin’ Words: Senator Kel Seliger vs. Michael Quinn Sullivan

Facing a primary challenge from the right, the hockey-playing senator from Amarillo decides to drop the gloves. 

Texas Redistricting: The Critics Speak

Emergency U.S. Supreme Court case? Delayed March primary? The reactions to the federal panel of judge’s interim map pour in.

Texas Redistricting Ball Now in Scalia’s Court

But does the U.S. Supreme Court Justice’s request for briefs mean he might rule in the state’s favor?

Between the Lines

Ah, redistricting—that partisan, vengeful, hazardous battle for domination the Legislature fights every decade. Here we go again.

Win, Lose, or Draw

Read a Q&A with Patricia Kilday Hart.

“The League of Dangerous Mapmakers”

Robert Draper, my former colleague at TEXAS MONTHLY, has written a piece about redistricting in the current issue of the Atlantic. One of the main characters in his story is Tom Hofeller, the former redistricting director of the Republican National Committee, now a paid consultant and a master

Is redistricting “fair”?

Matt Mackowiak tackled the issue in the Statesman, in an opinion piece headlined “Redistricting doesn’t need fixing.” He writes: With the primary elections in a redistricting year now in the rearview mirror, the predictable lament of losing candidates is to blame the district lines. If only the process were

State loses redistricting case; Abbott plans appeal

The outcome of this case was predestined. For months, the D.C. court warned that Texas’s failure to provide Hispanic opportunity districts when there were huge Hispanic population gains could be construed as evidence of intentional discrimination. There was no way a fair court could ignore the facts in the case:

Five Things to Know about the Newest Redistricting Maps

Exactly seven days before the originally scheduled March 6 primary, the San Antonio federal court released a new set of maps that should lock in the May 29 election. 

Davis tweets: victory in SD 10

“Senate District 10 partners victorious in preserving&strengthening ’08 district. Lege damage repaired. Thanks to all who supported&believed.” [tweeted @ 1:33 p.m.] * * * * Just pointing out the obvious: The saving of Davis’s seat could take on added significance if senators choose the successor to Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst.

Win the Weekend: What Texas is Talking About

A mountain lion attack in Big Bend, Lance Armstrong speaks, the latest on redistricting, and the New York Times's "Frugal Traveler" makes his way through Texas.

Mappily Ever After

Once again, redistricting has devolved into a bitter, partisan, confusing, chaotic mess. But take heart, voters! There is a better way.

GOP looks to 2013 for redistricting

Nothing prevents the Legislature from drawing new maps. Redistricting is no different from any other bill, and it doesn’t have to be limited to the session after a census. That said, I don’t see the point of going through the exercise. So what if Republicans endorse a referendum to re-redistrict

San Antonio court files unusual supplemental order

This is quite remarkable. The San Antonio court that drew the redistricting maps for Congress, the state House, and state Senate issued a supplemental order that amounts to a defendant’s brief on its own behalf. With no prompting from a higher court, the district court launched into an explanation of

Abbott v. the DOJ

Let me see if I understand this. First, Abbott wants to avoid submitting the Texas redistricting maps for preclearance at the Department of Justice. He tells everybody that he has figured out how to bypass the DOJ by going to the D.C. Circuit and moving for summary judgment from Republican-friendly

Win the Weekend: What Texas Was Talking About This Week

Whether you’re drinking with politicos or dining with your parents, we’ll give you something to talk about to make you sound informed. 

Court’s Interim Redistricting Map Claims Aaron Peña

Longtime Rio Grande Valley legislator and recent Republican convert Aaron Peña won’t seek a seat in the next election.

The Interim Redistricting Maps Are Revealed

Instead of drawing you a map, how about a few shortcuts? Here are the key takeaways of what Thursday’s interim redistricting maps mean for our elected officials.

The Hill: Doggett says R’s want to eliminate Anglo D’s

The story ran in The Hill, which, as many readers are aware, is a daily newspaper devoted to coverage of Congress. An excerpt from the story: "They do not want Anglo Democrats representing any part of Texas," Doggett said. "They went after [former Democratic Reps.] Martin Frost and Chet

Richard Murray: D’s will win House majority before 2020

Murray, the University of Houston political science professor and pollster (although he says he doesn't do much political polling any more), spoke yesterday at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. I asked him beforehand about the Thibaut-Murphy race. (His son is a consultant for Thibaut.) He said that it was

Have House D’s reached their high-water mark?

My colleague and friend Patricia Kilday Hart has written an excellent story about the speaker's race that appears in the November 28 issue of the Texas Observer. (We will have competing stories, as I have "written" one that will appear in our January issue. You will see why "written" is

A Census of Power

Twenty and a half million. That’s Texas’ projected population in 2000—an increase of more than 20 percent since 1990—and Republicans are salivating at the prospect of gaining seats in the mandatory 2001 redrawing of legislative and congressional districts. Any area that did not keep up with the state’s growth rate

When Bush Comes to Shove

Shape Up

Edward Blum ran for Congress in 1992, lost, and then decided to change America. He has succeeded. He was one of six plaintiffs in a Texas case that, along with similar cases in North Carolina and Louisiana, will help reverse the racial separation and antagonism that infects our public life.

Battle Lines

The weird shape of a new Houston congressional district guarantees a power struggle between Hispanic and Anglo politicians.

The Deal That Didn’t Work

Parceling out three new seats in Congress sounds like an easy job, but the Texas Legislature tried for two months and couldn’t do it.