About this episode
President Donald Trump is asking for five more Republicans in the House of Representatives, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is trying to give them to him. Last week, Republicans in the state’s legislature demanded they redraw Texas’ 38 congressional districts in a way that would effectively create five more safely red seats. If passed, the new map could give Republicans a major advantage in maintaining control of the House of Representatives in 2026. But in a stunning move, Democrats in the state legislature fled Texas and temporarily foiled the Republican plot. Now, Democrats across the country are openly asking whether they should emulate Texas Republicans and politically alter their own congressional districts to boost Democratic strength in Congress. Today on “Post Reports,” Colby Itkowitz sits down with Patrick Marley, who covers voting issues for The Post, to discuss why the standoff in Texas could mark a fierce new era in American politics.