Texas House Republicans redrew five districts in 2025 in a mid-decade redistricting plan aimed at gaining seats for the GOP. The new boundaries were approved for the 2026 midterms after weeks of debate and a Supreme Court review. Gov. Greg Abbott called the plan a "huge win."
With 99% of the vote counted, the Associated Press called Districts 9, 24, 28 and 35 for Democrats, and reported Republican Jace Yarbough leading in District 32 by three points. Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political science professor, said the plan looked more like a "dummy-mander" than a gerrymander. He said Republicans misjudged support from Latino voters.
Democratic incumbents Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez held their seats by double-digit margins. AdImpact reported that the race in the McAllen area, which included Republican Eric Flores, was the seventh most expensive in the country, with more than $44 million spent. Political attorney Andrew Cates said heavy spending was not enough to overcome frustration with Washington.