Texas State Lawmaker Gina Hinojosa speaks with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer about her and other Democrats’ fight against the state’s GOP redistricting plan.

Austin

Texas Democrats have announced their intention to challenge a newly approved congressional map in federal court. The map, passed by the Texas Statehouse, could result in the elimination of five Democratic-held U.S. congressional seats, shifting them to Republicans. Democratic lawmakers argue that the redistricting targets majority-minority districts, particularly affecting Latino and African-American communities, and constitutes a direct attack on the Voting Rights Act and constitutional rights.

Gina Hinojosa, a Democratic member of the Texas legislature, emphasized that the legal challenge is necessary to protect the rights of minority voters. She also noted that while other Democratic-controlled states, such as California, are considering retaliatory redistricting measures, the primary harm will be felt by Texans if the federal courts do not overturn the new map. Hinojosa reiterated Democratic support for independent redistricting commissions and criticized the process as a partisan power grab.

‘We go to federal court': TX Dem on next step in redistricting fight

The Texas State Senate Committee meeting right now on a new congressional map that potentially could eliminate five Democratic-held U.S. congressional seats for Republicans. The Statehouse approved the new map last night after a weeks-long standoff that saw Democrats in Texas leave Texas in protest. Joining us now is Gina Hinojosa. She's a Democrat in the Texas state legislature. Gina, thanks so much for joining us. Democrats fought to avoid this day, so where do you go from here? We go straight to federal court. This is a direct attack on not just the Voting Rights Act, but it is a direct attack on the constitutional rights of people of color in Texas. This map that just passed the House is, yes, trying to gain five new Republican seats for Donald Trump in the U.S. Congress through Texas, but it is doing it on the backs of the Latino community and the African-American community by targeting for elimination congressional districts that are majority-minority. Yesterday, the Texas House Speaker, Dustin Burroughs, repeatedly refused to answer when you asked him whether you would be arrested if you left the House chamber without a permission slip, which allows Texas authorities to monitor your movements. Have you received any clarification at all on that, and do you intend to test it? Well, I never signed a permission slip, to be clear. I was not going to consent to the giving away of my freedom to represent the people of Austin who elected me. I do not answer to the Speaker, the governor, or any other Republican leadership. I answer to my constituents, but the call on the House, which was the Speaker's stated authority for his arrest power over us, has been lifted because it was only in effect until the passage of their power grab of congressional redistricting mid-decade, and that has now passed the House. California's legislature, as you know, Gina, is poised to vote on its redistricting plan in retaliation for Texas Republicans' redistricting efforts where you are. Are you satisfied with that, or would you like to see more Democratic-controlled states, in addition to California, take specific action? Well, Texas House Democrats made it a point to visit with governors, Democratic governors across this country to stress the threat that was coming out of Texas with this attempt by Donald Trump and Texas Republicans to rig the 2026 midterms. I am glad California is taking actions to protect against and nullify what Texas is doing, and yes, other states, if they want to protect the rights and really the lives of their citizens, when you think about the stakes, then I would think they would also be looking at trying to redistrict mid-decade, but let me stress that for Texans, and especially our Latino communities and our African-American communities, the harm will be done by this bill if it does not get overturned by the federal courts, and nothing that the other states do will take away from that harm. Let me just get you to explain, what do you mean when you say lives are at stake right now? Well, think about why Donald Trump is doing this. He is doing this because his big ugly bill is not popular with Americans. It is a bill that takes health care away from 17 million Americans, right? Think about this, just that issue. That's a matter of life and death for Americans, whether they receive life-saving health care. That's just one example, but the stakes are high, and what we're seeing come out of this administration is a direct threat to our safety and our lives. What do you say to critics, Gina, who argue that both parties now are setting up potentially a nationwide redistricting arms race? Democrats support independent redistricting commissions. That is legislation I have supported in the Texas House. If Democrats were in charge of the legislature in Texas, we would have that preferred method. We do not agree that politicians should be drawing their own maps for their own elections. That being said, Democrats do not control the legislature in Texas. We have not passed that legislation, and so I understand Democrats in other states are needing to fight fire with fire to, again, protect their constituents against the harm of this power grab and this rigging of the 2026 election through Texas. Gina Hinojosa from the Texas Statehouse, thanks so much for joining us. My pleasure.

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