Texas Democrats can run from Republicans' gerrymandering, but they can't hide. No walkouts, blue state redistricting or Voting Rights Act protections can thwart Trump's plot to keep the U.S. House.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A review by Texas lawmakers into the catastrophic July 4 floods has no intention of second-guessing decisions by local officials or assigning blame over the tragedy that killed at least 136 people, a top Republican leading the effort said Wednesday.

Trump won Ohio with 55% of the vote, but Republican politicians want to gerrymander 80% of the state’s U.S. House districts for themselves.

The partisan breakdown of the chamber today resembles the popular vote more closely than it has in decades: Republicans, who won 50.6 percent of all votes in House races in 2024, control slightly more than half the seats. Democrats, who garnered 47.8 percent, have 49.4 percent of seats.

As Republicans prepare to tackle congressional redistricting during the special session, Democrats weigh their options.

The Texas Republican Party rejected the results of the 2020 election, labeled being gay as “abnormal” and vowed to protect access to guns in its platform and corresponding resolutions.

Beto O'Rourke said Democrats should be "ruthlessly focused on winning power" through their own redistricting in California as Texas Republicans began a special session.