Texas Redistricting Debate: Race Data and Political Performance in Congressional Maps

Redistricting Debate in Texas Senate

• 🎯 Democratic State Senator Carol Alvarado questioned Republican State Senator Phil King about the redrawing of Texas's congressional maps, specifically focusing on changes to Houston districts.
• ❓ Alvarado inquired about the shifting of Baytown population between CD9 and CD36, seeking the rationale behind these movements.

Rationale for Map Changes

• 📈 Senator King stated that changes in the greater Houston area were made for the purpose of improving partisan performance, aiming for CD9 to perform as a Republican district.
• 🚫 King asserted that he has not looked at any racial data or CVAP (Citizen Voting Age Population) when drawing maps, emphasizing that the only legally permissible basis is 2020 census data.
• 🗳️ He argued that the simplest way to draw a map for political performance is by examining election data regarding Republican and Democrat votes, rendering racial data unnecessary and potentially problematic or illegal to consider.

Precinct Splits and Data Reliance

• 🗺️ Alvarado raised concerns about election precincts (414, 533, and 386) being split multiple times, but King stated he did not know the specific reasons for these minutiae.
• 📊 King confirmed reviewing political performance stats and consulting legal counsel to ensure the adopted House map met his goals of being legal, improving political performance, and advancing compactness.

Focus on Houston Districts and Latino Representation

• 🗣️ Alvarado highlighted that the Latino population in Harris County exceeds 2 million and questioned the reduction of the Hispanic CVAP in CD29 from 63% to 43%.
• 📉 King reiterated his lack of awareness of any intent to reduce Hispanic CVAP, stating he only looked at political performance and not racial data.
• ⚖️ He denied knowledge of whether the new CD29 would offer Latino voters the same opportunity to elect their preferred candidate compared to the current CD29, due to his non-reliance on racial data.

Voting Rights Act and DOJ Letter

• ❓ Alvarado questioned if the new CD29 is a coalition district or protected under the Voting Rights Act for Latino voters, to which King responded he had no position or awareness.
• 📧 King stated he did not consider the DOJ letter regarding CD29 as a coalition district because it was not addressed to the legislature, and he had not spoken with anyone from the DOJ or White House about the map.
• ✅ King assured that his council analyzed the map to ensure compliance with all constitutional law and the Voting Rights Act, and that he recommended the House bill because it met his goals.