Texas Senate approves maps with fewer minority districts

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Senate has approved newly drawn district maps that would keep Republicans dominant in the state’s congressional representation, even amid rapidly shifting demographics. The maps approved Friday will next go to the GOP-dominated Texas House of Representatives, where they are expected to be approved before reaching Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk to be signed into law. Minority rights groups and Democrats say the Republican mapmakers are ignoring demographic trends. Under the proposed maps, the number of Hispanic majority districts would shrink from eight to seven. There would also be no districts with a majority of Black residents. Republican State Senator Joan Huffman chaired the Senate redistricting committee and said the maps were drawn “blind to race.”