AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Republicans on Wednesday took the first step toward approving new congressional maps that would give their party as many as five new seats in the House of Representatives, spurring what’s likely to be a national battle over redistricting.

The Texas Senate is reconvening Friday morning to take up a controversial GOP redistricting bill that triggered a weeks-long House standoff. The Republican-backed proposal, which passed the House in an 88-52 party-line vote on Wednesday, aims to redraw the state's congressional map and produce five new GOP-leaning districts.

Texas lawmakers approved a new congressional map this week at the behest of President Donald Trump, seeking to preserve his Republican Party's slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in the November 2026 midterm elections.

Texas lawmakers meet again Friday, when the Republican majority in the Senate could give final approval to their map.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) just approved a new redistricting plan in response to Republican gerrymandering in Texas. Texas Rep. Nicole Collier joins The Weeknight with California Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur to discuss the ongoing fight.

The Texas Senate has approved a Trump backed redistricting bill that could gain the GOP five House seats in 2026.