'An attack on our democracy': Democrats decry proposed Texas congressional maps

Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Aug 6, 2025

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More than 250 Democrats congregated in Fort Worth on Wednesday to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and condemn Texas Republicans’ proposal to redraw the state’s congressional districts.

“We got to do everything we can to defeat these racist maps,” said U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, a Democrat from Fort Worth.

Local leaders joined Veasey and U.S. Senate candidate Colin Allred to address a boisterous crowd at Greater St. Stephen First Church, 3728 E. Berry St. Speakers decried the proposed maps as racist and undemocratic efforts to strip voters of their voice.

“They are blatantly and openly trying to steal five congressional seats, including one right here in Tarrant County,” Allred said. “This is an attack on our democracy.”

“They tried to take away our power and our voice,” an impassioned Tarrant County Commissioner Roderick Miles told the crowd. “But I say no, we’re not going to let them do it.”

Wednesday’s speakers were protesting the mid-decade redistricting that has been proposed by Texas Republicans. Typically, lawmakers redraw the state’s congressional districts after the census every 10 years. But Gov. Greg Abbott has directed lawmakers to redraw the congressional map in the middle of the decade during a special legislative session. The proposed new map is expected to help Republicans pick up five congressional seats.

The Republicans’ proposed map would reconfigure Veasey’s district, which is currently split between Dallas and Tarrant counties. Under the new map, the district would be completely within Dallas County.

More than 50 Texas House Democrats have left the state in an attempt to prevent a quorum in the Texas House and prevent business on the maps from being conducted. Republicans have threatened missing Democrats with civil arrest.

Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons also urged those in attendance to get out the vote for Democrats in Tarrant County, where Republicans outnumber Democrats on the commissioners’ court 3-2.

“We are powerless until we get a third vote on commissioners’ court,” she said.

Speakers drew parallels to Democrats’ fight against the maps to civil rights leaders’ efforts 60 years ago to get the Voting Rights Act passed.

“Let this be our new Selma moment and let us rise up,” Miles said, referring to the 1965 civil rights march in Selma, Alabama, that was brutally suppressed by state and local police.

Allred, who is running to unseat U.S. Sen John Cornyn, said the country needed to pass legislation to set national standards on early voting, voting by mail, and voting registration to ensure that Americans everywhere had the same access to voting rights.

John Reed, pastor of Walls of Jericho Deliverance Church in Fort Worth, said he showed up Wednesday to support the members of his church and to voice his opposition to redistricting.

“What they are trying to do is steal the election before the election,” Reed said.

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