This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here.
Welcome to The Logoff: Texas is forging ahead with its plan to add five Republican seats to its congressional map at the behest of President Donald Trump, in preparation for what is likely to be a difficult midterm election for the party next year.
What just happened? On Wednesday, the Texas House approved a mid-decade redistricting plan that will even more aggressively gerrymander the state, creating five new congressional districts that are likely to elect Republicans. The plan still needs to pass the state Senate before Texas Gov. Greg Abbott can sign it into law, but is expected to advance without difficulty.
Why is this so abnormal? Every decade, states redraw their congressional maps in accordance with the results of the decennial US Census; Texas’s current effort would see the state break that pattern and do so five years early, and for clearly partisan purposes.
How are other states reacting? California Gov. Gavin Newsom has threatened to advance a retaliatory redistricting measure in California if Texas moves forward with its plan, with the goal of creating five new Democratic seats. On Wednesday night, he tweeted, “It’s on, Texas.” However, the California process will be more difficult — voters will first need to approve an amendment to the state constitution.
On the flip side, a number of Republican states are following Texas’s lead in redistricting at Trump’s urging, including Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, and possibly Florida. Together, they could help the GOP net even more seats.
What’s the big picture? Gerrymandering is inherently partisan (and done by both parties), but Texas’s plan represents a particularly aggressive, cynical power play ahead of the 2026 midterm elections (and one that’s bad for Texans). Republicans’ current margin of control in the House of Representatives is just three seats, which means Texas alone could conceivably decide power in the chamber — and with it, the course of Trump’s final two years in office.
And with that, it’s time to log off…
I’m willing to concede that “Nightmare at the end of the universe” doesn’t sound like a cheerful topic to sign off with. But the latest episode from Vox’s Unexplainable podcast is actually a fascinating, not-at-all-nightmarish look at “the biggest mystery ever”: understanding dark energy, which makes up something like 70 percent of the universe and has implications for its eventual end — if it exists at all. You can listen to the episode here.
I will be off tomorrow, but the newsletter will be in great hands until Monday. Until then, have a great evening and a great weekend!
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