BRIEFING ROOM

The GOP is planning to seize the 2026 election by force, starting with Texas and targeting JAC friend Rep. Lizzie Fletcher. Desperate to expand their control in Congress, Texas Republicans, under Trump’s direction, are pushing to redraw congressional maps to oust Fletcher and four other Democrats to solidify Trump’s stranglehold on Congress and our nation, making our efforts to retake the House more challenging. 

TX Governor Greg Abbott and Republican state lawmakers are bending to Trump’s panicked demands, attempting to manipulate district lines to protect him from voters’ anger in the midterms. There is no legitimate justification for redrawing the current maps. This is a dangerous attempt to dismantle the Voting Rights Act and erode the foundation of our democratic elections. 

To gain five additional congressional seats in Texas, the GOP must also further weaken the political power of minority voters. Texas, already the worst racially gerrymandered state in the country, is majority minority. The current map has inflicted severe harm on communities of color, and the GOP’s plan would make that even worse.

This redistricting plan is being rushed through a special Texas legislative session originally intended to address disaster recovery after the recent flooding in Texas that killed at least 134 people, including 37 children.

Fletcher is a proven fighter. She flipped a historically Republican seat in 2018, once held by President George H. W. Bush, and became the first woman in over 50 years to represent Texas’s 7th District. From winning by less than one point in 2018, she increased her margin to over 12 points in 2024. Her growing strength, aided by fair redistricting, has made her a top GOP target. 

She has been a tireless champion of JAC’s values, fighting antisemitism, standing up for reproductive rights, and working to end gun violence. Losing her would be a devastating blow. Help support Lizzie.

However, this fight goes beyond Texas. The state is a testing ground for Trump-style politics nationwide. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is pursuing similar tactics, and Ohio is preparing for a court-mandated redistricting ahead of 2026. Without bipartisan support, the new Ohio map could also threaten key Democratic seats, including another JAC-friend, Rep. Emilia Sykes.

“If they’re going nuclear in Texas, I’m going nuclear elsewhere,” said Sen. Elissa Slotkin (MI) this week. “I don’t want to rig the game, but if they are, then we’re going to get in that game and fight.”

JAC is ready to fight, too. Are you? Our candidates are in the battle of a lifetime. They need your support now. 

Donate to JAC today. We will not back down.