GOP Candidates Eye Texas's Newly Drawn Congressional Districts

Texas Republicans are preparing to capitalize on potentially game-changing redistricting efforts as a wave of GOP candidates position themselves for newly drawn congressional seats that could transform the state's political landscape. With the Texas Legislature poised to finalize controversial mid-decade redistricting that could flip five Democratic seats to Republican control, ambitious party officials across the state are launching campaigns for districts redrawn to favor conservative candidates ahead of the 2026 midterms.

The Redistricting Foundation

The Republican redistricting plan, which passed the Texas House 88-52 on Wednesday after weeks of Democratic resistance, fundamentally reshapes the electoral map in favor of the GOP. According to The Texas Tribune, three of the newly created seats lack incumbents, while two South Texas districts have been redrawn to be significantly more favorable to Republicans.

State Representative Briscoe Cain, a Republican from Deer Park, kicked off what operatives expect to be a flurry of campaign announcements by filing for Houston's 9th Congressional District on Thursday. The seat, currently held by Democratic Representative Al Green, represents the most dramatic transformation under the new maps—shifting from a district that voted for Kamala Harris by 44 percentage points to one Donald Trump would have carried by 20 points.

"Texans are known for our hard work, devotion to selfless service, and conservative values — and they deserve to be represented by someone who shares those ideals," said Grant Moody, the only Republican on the Bexar County Commissioners Court, announcing his exploration of a congressional bid in the newly drawn 35th District.

Flipping Hispanic-Majority Districts

Republicans are particularly focused on two South Texas seats that elected Democrats despite Trump's victories in 2024. Texas's 28th Congressional District, centered in Laredo and held by Representative Henry Cuellar. The 34th Congressional District, which includes Brownsville and McAllen and is represented by Vicente Gonzalez, was among only 13 districts nationwide to elect congressional Democrats while being carried by Trump.

The redistricting plan intensifies Republican advantages in both districts. Under current boundaries, Trump carried the 28th District by seven points and the 34th by 4.5 points. The new maps would create districts Trump would have won by 10 points in each case.

Former Representative Mayra Flores, who lost to Gonzalez in both 2022 and 2024, has already switched to target Cuellar's redrawn district. Meanwhile, Eric Flores, an army veteran and lawyer from Mission, launched his campaign in July for the reconfigured 34th District.

In Cuellar's district, Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina has formed an exploratory committee for the 28th District race. Tijerina, who switched from Democrat to Republican after the 2024 election, served as a Democratic county judge for nearly a decade before his party change.

San Antonio and Dallas Shake-Ups

The new 35th Congressional District, cobbled together from pieces of five current seats to include parts of San Antonio and outlying eastern areas, would have voted for Trump by 10 points. This has attracted multiple potential Republican candidates in the San Antonio area.

San Antonio City Council member Marc Whyte, whose North Side district falls within the new 35th, is exploring a bid despite the council's nonpartisan nature. Whyte, an attorney first elected in 2023, represents the city's only conservative-leaning district and previously ran unsuccessfully for the Texas House as a Republican.

State Representative John Lujan, a former Bexar County sheriff's deputy representing towns outside San Antonio, and Kristin Tips, a San Antonio funeral director who heads the Texas Funeral Service Commission, are also contemplating runs, according to sources familiar with the district.

Dallas District Transformation Creates GOP Stronghold

The newly redrawn 32nd Congressional District in Dallas represents perhaps the most dramatic transformation in the Republican redistricting effort. Currently held by freshman Democrat Julie Johnson, who won with 61.9% in 2024, the district has been fundamentally restructured.

Under the current configuration, the 32nd District covers about one-third of Dallas and northern and eastern suburbs. The new boundaries encompass only 11% of Dallas and stretch eastward into six predominantly Republican, majority-white counties, reaching nearly to Longview in East Texas. The district shifted from supporting Harris by 24 points to favoring Trump by 18 points.

Ryan Binkley, a businessman and founding pastor at Create Church in Richardson, has already declared his candidacy for the redrawn 32nd District. Binkley previously made a long-shot bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2023, spending millions of his own funds before withdrawing and endorsing Trump.

The transformation also attracted Zain Shaito, a former Olympic fencer and senior counterintelligence agent in the U.S. Air Force, who announced his candidacy for the district. Shaito brings a distinctive background combining military service, athletic achievement, and intelligence expertise that could appeal to suburban voters who value national security credentials.

Attorney General Race Creates Additional Opening

The announcement by Representative Chip Roy that he is running for Texas attorney general creates another opportunity in his Central Texas-based 21st Congressional District. This seat, which includes parts of San Antonio and Bexar County, could generate enormous interest—Roy was among 18 Republicans who competed in the 2018 primary, the last time the seat was open.

Several Republican candidates considering the 35th Congressional District are also eyeing the 21st District opportunity, with Whyte indicating he is looking at both races.

National Stakes and Democratic Response

The Texas redistricting effort carries significant national implications as Republicans seek to maintain control of the U.S. House through the 2026 midterm elections. President Trump has personally intervened in the process, meeting with Texas Republicans and setting expectations for the state to deliver "five more" GOP-held seats.

The Republican strategy faces ongoing legal and political challenges. More than fifty Democratic legislators staged a two-week walkout that temporarily prevented votes on redistricting while facing daily fines and legal threats from Republican leadership. Though Democrats ultimately returned and could not prevent passage, they succeeded in delaying the process and generating national attention to the issue.

A Transformed Political Landscape

As Texas approaches final passage of its redistricting plan, with the Senate expected to approve the maps by week's end, the recruitment surge among Republican candidates reflects confidence in dramatically altered electoral dynamics. The combination of open seats, redrawn boundaries favoring the GOP, and Trump's direct support creates unprecedented opportunities for ambitious Republicans across the state's major metropolitan areas.

The success of this redistricting effort could serve as a model for other Republican-controlled states considering similar mid-decade map changes, while simultaneously spurring Democratic countermeasures in blue states like California. For Texas Republicans, the wave of candidate interest suggests the party views 2026 as a historic opportunity to cement conservative control over the state's congressional delegation for years to come.