Texas is asserting its role leading up to the 2026 midterm election cycle, as the Republican Senate primary heats up and the state legislature begins a rare redistricting process to draw out Democratic seats.

Just months after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a primary bid against incumbent senior Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), the state legislature began the process to redraw congressional districts in the state, an effort backed by the Trump administration. All of this comes as the state suffered devastating flooding in Kerr County on July 4, which resulted in over 100 deaths and billions of dollars in damage.