Folks

Texas has a shameful legacy of manipulating maps, restricting access to the ballot box, and undermining democracy. And now, it’s taking an extreme MAGA agenda to new lows. At the direction of Donald Trump, lawmakers are proposing an even more egregious gerrymander in an effort to help steal the 2026 midterms. As Rep. Greg Casar put it, their map would “rip the Voting Rights Act to shreds.”

The NDRC’s Map of Shame is our latest grassroots undertaking exposing Republicans for their attempts to dismantle fair representation and dilute voting power just because they can’t win without cheating.

Keep reading below to get a look at just some of Texas’s most appalling offenses — then make a donation to power our work exposing these anti-democracy schemes.

----------Forwarded Message----------
Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2025
From: Team NDRC Subject:
BREAKING: New proposed TX map is out!

Big news,

The new proposed Texas congressional map was just released this morning. At first glance, it appears Republicans have taken an already gerrymandered map and made it far, far more extreme. Right now, our mapping team is diving in, and we'll be in touch with their analysis soon. But let's back up and talk about why we’re here — and Texas’s anti-democracy record and its current, already unfair map.

Republicans across the country have launched a coordinated effort to manipulate maps in order to cling to power and undermine the will of the people. They know their policies are unpopular and that they cannot win fairly — so they’re willing to cheat instead.

The good news is, we are not powerless against these cynical power grabs. The NDRC is fighting back. Right now, we’re working to hold these anti-democracy Republicans accountable by exposing the worst of the worst gerrymanders — we’re calling it The NDRC Map of Shame.

Today let's talk about none other than the Texas congressional map championed by Governor Greg Abbott. It’s already a blatant violation of the Voting Rights Act and as you read this, Republicans in the state are trying to use a special legislative session to gerrymander it even further and steal more Republican seats. Before we go any further, this is a fight happening right now that needs your support — can you make a donation to help power our work exposing these open threats to democracy?

Greg Abbott has built a legacy of gerrymandering and voter suppression, in service of an extreme anti-democracy agenda. Let’s dive in:

Abbott Criminalized Ballot Collecting
In one of his most anti-democracy acts as governor, Abbott signed Senate Bill 1. This anti-voting legislation criminalizes ballot collection — delivering vote-by-mail ballots on behalf of voters — which many nonprofit organizations do to assist the elderly, people with disabilities, and those who do not speak English.

Abbott Canceled 1 Million Voter Registrations
Just last year, Abbott announced the state had removed about 1 million people from its voter rolls — a clear attempt to undermine free and fair elections. He claimed the purge was to “protect” our elections, but both Texas and federal law already required regular updates of voter roll lists.

Abbott is Championing Trump’s Plan to Steal Texas
Just this month, Abbott called a special session under the guise of responding to the tragic floods that hit the state. The top priority is delivering on Trump’s demand to redraw the Texas congressional map to give Republicans more seats. Keep in mind that the Texas map is already deeply gerrymandered — so much that voters have spent years challenging it in court. Trump’s policies are so unpopular that Republicans believe they’ll lose the House in the midterms without cheating even harder.

Greg Abbott is overseeing a direct attack on fair representation and our democracy. The NDRC is working to stop them.

This is just a preview of the anti-democracy schemes we’re exposing through our Map of Shame. If you’re just as angry as we are about the attacks on fair maps and free and fair elections, make a donation to help power this work to fight back. 

Thanks so much,

The NDRC Team

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Since 2017, the NDRC has executed a comprehensive redistricting strategy that shifts the redistricting power, creating fair districts where Democrats can compete. Our victories have been made possible by our strong community of grassroots supporters.

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