Texas lawmakers convened for a special session today to address some of the state's most pressing issues,

including the response to the deadly July 4th floods. But one agenda item was added at the request of President Trump,

pushing the Republican-controlled legislature to redraw congressional district lines in their favor ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Beto O'Rourke is a former congressman from El Paso. That's one of the seats the president wants

to flip. Welcome back to the NewsHour. Thanks for having me. So the Texas legislature,

or Texas lawmakers, rather, of 38 seats in the House. Republicans already have 25. This

redrawing could potentially add five to their

tally. Are you worried all of this is going to make it easier for Republicans to control the House?

This is the only reason that they're doing it. The president is very open about this. Our senior

Senator John Cornyn is very open about this. And for those who haven't been following,

redistricting is a process by which current members of Congress get to choose their own voters.

And they're doing this, and the president's made it such a priority because he sees the polling

numbers. Immigration, which if there was a policy issue he won on in 24, is polling at 35%

for the president.

He's underwater in his favorables.

Folks don't like the direction this country is headed in.

And so he knows he will lose the slim majority they have in the House of Representatives

unless they rig the game mid-decade, which is what they're trying to do in Texas.

But Democrats have an opportunity to fight back in Texas.

The state House Democrats could walk out and deny their colleagues a quorum. We have governors like Gavin Newsom,

who have threatened to redistrict in Democrats' favor in their states, which I'm in favor of.

And then it may come back to bite these Republicans

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