The redistricting fight could delay the March 3 Texas primary, congressman says
U.S. Representative Marc Veasey, a Democrat from Fort Worth, predicts the Texas primary set for March 3 may have to be postponed because of the legal challenge filed against the state's newly approved congressional maps.
In an interview for Eye On Politics, Veasey said, "If we move forward with these maps, it wouldn't surprise me. But it also would not shock me one bit at all based on my previous experience if we saw delayed primaries and again, if we saw instead of a March primary, we end up seeing a May primary."
When asked how much of a chance the primary could be delayed, Veasey said, "I think it's 50-50."
Governor Greg Abbott signed the maps into law in a video that was then posted to social media.
He said, "I'm about to sign the law that creates the one big, beautiful map that ensures fair representation in the U.S. Congress for Texas."
Abbott said Texas will become "more red" in Congress.
Democrats in the Texas House have promised a legal fight, and various lawsuits have now been filed against the state to block the new maps. A three-judge panel at the federal court in El Paso has set a preliminary injunction hearing to determine whether the maps are legal and can go into effect. The hearing is set to begin on Oct. 1 and continues through Oct. 10.
Organizations such as LULAC and the NAACP are among those who've filed suit claiming the maps violate the Voting Rights Act because they are racially gerrymandered.
Republicans and Gov. Abbott deny this and say the new maps were based on political performance from last year's election.
Veasey recounted the fact that a previous fight over redistricting delayed the Texas primary in 2012 from early March to late May. The primary runoff didn't take place until August that year.
"I think there are some series of voting rights violations, and I don't think that the court is ready to throw the voting rights out, particularly section two of the Voting Rights Act," said Veasey.
The newly approved congressional maps are creating a lot of uncertainty among Democrats about next year's midterm elections. The maps turn five congressional districts in Texas from blue and Democratic majorities to red and Republican majorities.
In North Texas, three Democrats hold congressional seats, but under the new maps, there will likely only be two Democrats in office. U.S. Representatives Jasmine Crockett from Dallas, Julie Johnson from Farmers Branch, and Veasey have to figure out which districts they will run in.
Crockett, now in the 30th District, told CBS News Texas earlier in August that she may continue to run in this seat, but she also said that she is considering running in the 33rd District because her house is now in that district. The U.S. Constitution doesn't require members of Congress to live in their district, but only to be a resident of the state in which they represent. This district is currently in both Tarrant and Dallas counties, but under the new map, it is only in Dallas County.
Congresswoman Johnson has said she will either run in the 33rd District or not run in the primary against Congressman Veasey. She has also said she may run in the 24th Congressional District, which is in Tarrant and Dallas counties, against Republican Beth Van Duyne, who holds that seat now.
Veasey said he is not ready to decide on his re-election plans.
"There's real discriminatory effects in these maps," Veasey said. "I'm not ready to come right out and say anything right now. I think it's too early. I've just been really urging everyone in the delegation to let's just wait and see what happens."
As a result of the new maps, the Cook Political Report has changed the ratings for the Texas congressional districts. The 9th Congressional District in the Houston area moves from "Solid D" to "Solid R". The 28th Congressional District in South Texas flips from "Lean D" to "Toss Up", in part because of longtime Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar's popularity and voting record. The 32nd Congressional District in North Texas moves from "Solid D" to "Solid R". Another South Texas seat, the 34th Congressional District, goes from "Toss Up" to "Lean R". The 35th Congressional District in the Austin area moves from "Solid D" to "Likely R".
