MRT 8/22-23/25 (free): Abbott to Quickly Sign New Map // Alvarado Filibuster Preempted // AWOL TX House Dems Fined $500k // Phelan to Retire // Cruz Backs Roy for AG // Garcia Named FW Police Chief

MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak  

FRIDAY | 8/22/2025 & SATURDAY | 8/23/2025

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• TOP NEWS  

“Texas Gov. Abbott says he’ll swiftly sign new maps on his desk that will boost GOP in 2026,” AP's Jim Vertuno, Joey Cappaletti and Hallie Golden -- "​Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday promised to quickly sign off on a new, Republican-leaning congressional voting map gerrymandered to help the GOP maintain its slim majority in Congress.

“One Big Beautiful Map has passed the Senate and is on its way to my desk, where it will be swiftly signed into law,” Abbott said in a statement.

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Texas lawmakers approved the final plans just hours before, inflaming an already tense battle unfolding among states as governors from both parties pledge to redraw maps with the goal of giving their political candidates a leg up in the 2026 midterm elections.

In California, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has approved a special election to take place in November for residents to vote on a redrawn congressional map designed to help Democrats win five more House seats next year.

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Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has pushed other Republican-controlled states , including Indiana and Missouri, to also revise their maps to add more winnable GOP seats. Ohio Republicans were also already scheduled to revise their maps to make them more partisan.

In Texas, the map includes five new districts that would favor Republicans.

Democrats vow to challenge it in court

The effort by Trump and Texas’ Republican-majority Legislature prompted state Democrats to hold a two-week walkout and kicked off a wave of redistricting efforts across the country .

Democrats had prepared for a final show of resistance, with plans to push the Senate vote into the early morning hours in a last-ditch attempt to delay passage. Yet Republicans blocked those efforts by citing a rule violation.

“What we have seen in this redistricting process has been maneuvers and mechanisms to shut down people’s voices,” said state Sen. Carol Alvarado, leader of the Senate Democratic caucus, on social media after the new map was finalized by the GOP-controlled Senate.

Democrats had already delayed the bill’s passage during hours of debate, pressing Republican Sen. Phil King, the measure’s sponsor, on the proposal’s legality, with many alleging that the redrawn districts violate the Voting Rights Act by diluting voters’ influence based on race.

King vehemently denied that accusation, saying, “I had two goals in mind: That all maps would be legal and would be better for Republican congressional candidates in Texas.”

“There is extreme risk the Republican majority will be lost” in the House if the map does not pass, King said.

Battle for the House waged via redistricting

On a national level, the partisan makeup of existing districts puts Democrats within three seats of a majority. The incumbent president’s party usually loses seats in the midterms.

The Texas redraw is already reshaping the 2026 race, with Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, the dean of the state’s congressional delegation, announcing Thursday that he will not seek reelection to his Austin-based seat if the new map takes effect. Under the proposed map, Doggett’s district would overlap with that of another Democratic incumbent, Rep. Greg Casar.

Redistricting typically occurs once a decade, immediately after a census. While some states have their own limitations, there is no national impediment to a state trying to redraw districts in the middle of the decade.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 ruled that the Constitution does not prohibit partisan gerrymandering to increase a party’s clout, only gerrymandering that’s explicitly done by race." AP

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• TOP NEWS

“Texas Senate approves redistricting plan after GOP short circuits filibuster effort” DMN ($)

“Average ACA premiums could rise by more than 20% in Texas” Texas Tribune

• 2026  

“Paxton lead narrows in Texas GOP Senate fight as Cornyn allies flood the airwaves” Wash Examiner

Jason Vaughn guest column: “I believed in Ken Paxton. Here are three reasons why I can’t anymore” Hou Chron ($)

“Cruz endorses Chip Roy for Texas AG” The Hill

• #TXLEGE  

“Texas Republicans renew push to crack down on abortion pills in special session” SAEN ($)

“Texas House Democrats fined nearly $500K for redistricting walkout” AAS ($)

“Former House Speaker Dade Phelan won’t seek reelection” Texas Tribune

“Councilman Marc Whyte considering run for two newly open congressional seats” SSAEN ($)

• LOCAL GOVERNMENT  

“Former Dallas police chief Eddie Garcia named Fort Worth's top cop after six-month search” CBS 11

Editorial: “Dallas City Hall is doing right by cops” DMN ($)

“Newly appointed Dallas inspector general could be ousted after city botched hiring process” DMN ($)

“Bexar County could pay former Supreme Court chief justice $2,000 an hour” SAEN ($)

• NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE 

> TX TRIB: "Texas Senate expected to take up GOP congressional map, last stop before Abbott’s desk" TX TRIB

> HOU CHRON: "'Horrifically bad job': Camp Mystic blasted by lawmakers for telling counselors not to evacuate cabins" HOU CHRON

> TX TRIB: "Texas bill would keep unsubstantiated complaints against police officers from the public" TX TRIB

> FWST: "Former Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia named Fort Worth’s new chief of police" FWST

> TX TRIB: "Here are the Republicans who might run for Texas’ newly drawn congressional seats" TX TRIB

> TPR: "In response to failures and grieving parents, Texas lawmakers advance flood bills" TPR

> THE TEXAN: "The 40: Home Sweet Home, Foreign Policy Fractures, and Sanctuary Cities Crackdown" THE TEXAN

> THE TEXAN: "Court to Hear Kemah Lawsuit Against Paxton Over Concealed Police Chief Complaints" THE TEXAN

> THE TEXAN: "Former Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan Announces Retirement After Five Terms" THE TEXAN

> THE TEXAN: "Texas House Passes Flood, Disaster Response Bills" THE TEXAN

> THE TEXAN: "Congressman Chip Roy Launches Bid for Texas Attorney General" THE TEXAN

> SAEN: "U.S. Rep. Chip Roy announces run for Texas attorney general" SAEN

> MRT: "Rep. Chip Roy, an outspoken fiscal conservative, is running for Texas attorney general" MRT

> SA REPORT: "Rep. Chip Roy’s attorney general bid sets up open race in deep red TX21" SA REPORT

> SAEN: "Spurs arena gets crucial win as Mayor Jones fails to slow deal" SAEN

> EP TIMES: "Texas Democrats rally in El Paso, looking to mobilize ahead of 2026 midterms" EP TIMES

> SA REPORT: "San Antonio City Council divided over police hiring for 2026 budget" SA REPORT

> SA REPORT: "San Antonio City Council officially approves framework for $1.3B Spurs arena" SA REPORT

> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Fort Worth names former Dallas police chief Eddie Garcia city's 28th police chief" COMMUNITY IMPACT

> SAEN: "Search how your City Council member voted on the Spurs funding deal" SAEN

> DMN: "Standard of Fear: Two Texas moms were forced to wait for urgent care after pregnancy loss. They died" DMN

> HOU CHRON: "I taught Chloe to obey authority. At Camp Mystic, that got her killed." HOU CHRON

> FWST: "Man finds wife stabbed to death on kitchen floor and stranger in home, CA cops say" FWST

> MRT: "Man gets suspended sentence after killing cyclist with work truck" MRT

> DMN: "Cindy Rodriguez-Singh, mother accused of killing son, in Tarrant County custody, FBI says" DMN

> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "IMAGE Studios to expand suite offerings for salon services" COMMUNITY IMPACT

> EP TIMES: "August nights in Texas offer prime views of Milky Way galaxy" EP TIMES

• EXTRA POINTS 

Recent Texas sports scores:
Fri
> MLB: Texas 4, Kansas City 3
> MLB: Houston 10, Baltimore 7
> WNBA: Seattle 95, Dallas 60
Sat
> MLB: Houston 9, Baltimore 8
> MLB: Texas 10, Cleveland 0
> MLS: Montreal 3, Austin 2
> MLS: LAFC 1, Dallas 1
> MLS: San Jose 2, Houston 1

Today's Texas sports schedule:
> 1:10pm: MLB: Texas at Kansas City
> 3pm: WNBA: Golden State at Dallas
> 6:35pm: MLB: Houston at Baltimore

Tomorrow's Texas sports schedule:
> 12:35pm: MLB: Houston at Baltimore
> 1:35pm: MLB: Cleveland at Texas

HOUSTON ASTROS: "Walker homers for 3rd straight game, leading Astros to a 9-8 win over Orioles" AP

TEXAS RANGERS: "Jack Leiter strikes out career-high 10 as Rangers blow out Guardians 10-0" AP

TEXAS RANGERS: "Rangers place Marcus Semien on the IL for just the 2nd time in his 13-year career" AP

DALLAS COWBOYS: Watkins: "10 observations as Cowboys’ preseason ends: Micah Parsons’ contract, RB follies and more" DMN ($)

DALLAS COWBOYS: "The $13B Midas Touch: Why everything the Cowboys, Jerry Jones touch turns to gold" DMN ($)

HOUSTON TEXANS: "Lions QB Kyle Allen, rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa solidify roster chances in 26-7 preseason loss to Texans" AP

HOUSTON TEXANS: "Final Houston Texans 53-man roster projection: Could there be a surprise cut at RB?" Hou Chron ($)

TEXAS FOOTBALL: "Texas football: Longhorns focused on results, not No. 1 hype" AAS ($)

TEXAS FOOTBALL: Golden: "The Arch Manning Heisman hype is real (and he doesn't care)" AAS ($)

TEXAS / TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL: "UT-A&M to play in football every year as SEC moves to 9 conference games in 2026" Hou Chron ($)

UH FOOTBALL: "'A clean slate': Conner Weigman gets a new start at UH after leaving Texas A&M" Hou Chron ($)

TARLETON STATE FOOTBALL: "Page runs for 2 scores, Gabalis passes for 2, Tarleton State rolls over Portland State 42-0" AP

SAM HOUSTON FOOTBALL: "Maverick McIvor accounts for 4 touchdowns as Western Kentucky tops Sam Houston 41-24" AP

AUSTIN FC: "Prince Owusu has goal and assist to help Montreal fend off Austin 3-2" AP

DALLAS FC: "Son Heung-Min scores first MLS goal to help LAFC earn 1-1 draw with Dallas" AP

HOUSTON DYNAMO: "Cristian Arango and Preston Judd score goals, Earthquakes beat Dynamo 2-0" AP