As Texas lawmakers begin to hold hearings on Texas’ disaster preparedness today, it’s important to remember that Governor Abbott didn’t need to call a special session in the first place, and could have unilaterally distributed state funds to respond to the tragedy.

The Texas Disaster Act, Chapter 418 of Texas’s Government Code, empowers Abbott to provide direct financial aid to individuals and suggests that Abbott has complete authority to spend nearly every dollar allocated to the state on whichever disaster relief purposes he sees fit. Section 418.022 specifically designates Abbott powers to spend funds from the Texas Department of Human Services (or another state agency) on aid for individuals. And Section 418.016 essentially empowers Abbott to suspend any law or regulation that would hinder his ability to cope with the disaster. 

The only reason Governor Abbott is pushing through this special session is to gerrymander the congressional maps at Trump’s directive. 

In response to Donald Trump, Greg Abbott, and Texas Republicans turning devastating flooding in Texas into a partisan political opportunity, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:

“As Texas families grieve for loved ones lost after devastating flooding, Texas Governor Greg Abbott remains hellbent on using their pain as a political opportunity at the behest of Donald Trump. Instead of delivering relief, Greg Abbott is offering Texas up as a testing ground for Republicans’ ploy to rig congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms and insulate them from the political consequences of their disastrous agenda. Texas families deserve leaders who will stand up for them in a crisis, not craven politicians willing to leverage their pain to disenfranchise their neighbors.” 

Instead of delivering flood relief to families in need, Governor Greg Abbott is using their pain as a pretext to rig congressional maps ahead of the midterms.

Houston Chronicle: “Trump wants redistricting in Texas. Will Abbott use flood relief to get it? | Opinion”

“Using a natural disaster as the pretext to call lawmakers back to Austin will allow partisan actors to redraw maps solely to entrench political power, not to ensure every eligible voter’s voice is fairly represented. 

“Redistricting is one of the most consequential actions the Legislature can take. It shapes who represents our communities and how fairly their voices are heard. What’s more, our current maps were drawn just four years ago, and it was Gov. Abbott himself who approved those districts and signed them into law.

“I may have become cynical through the nearly two decades I’ve spent in public service, but I fear the governor will use the flood relief provisions on the special session call to coerce legislators into participating in President Trump’s power-grabbing redistricting scheme. And that is no way to govern in a crisis.”

Houston Public Media: “Texas Legislature begins mid-decade redistricting under pressure from Trump, Abbott”

“Texans were still absorbing the shock of the deadly Hill Country flood when Gov. Greg Abbott proclaimed the agenda for the special session. Congressional redistricting sat near the bottom of a list of 18 priorities.

“‘This is like you’re using one of the absolute worst tragedies that has hit Texas families in a long time, since like Uvalde, and use that to give yourself a political advantage. What kind of craven, disgusting political maneuver is that?’ said state Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston), who heads the Texas House Democratic Caucus.”

Abbot and Texas Republicans’ plan to exploit a tragedy could backfire in 2026. 

Politico: “Democratic poll warns GOP redistricting could cost Republicans up to 7 points in competitive seats”

“Fifty-three percent of the likely voters polled thought that the legislature was prioritizing redistricting over flood relief. …

“After being told that the legislature is prioritizing redistricting over flood relief, 62 percent of the voters said they would be less likely to vote for a Republican. The figure rises to 67 percent of independents, and 21 percent of them were 2024 Trump voters, the memo said.”

Dallas Morning News: “Redistricting runs a risk of backfiring on the GOP, experts say”

“While redistricting Texas’ congressional seats this summer likely pleases the White House as a means to maintain GOP control of the House of Representatives, political experts see no upside for Texas Republicans in an effort Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday.

“The thoroughness of Texas’ gerrymander during the last round of redistricting in 2021 leaves no room for Republicans to grow their 25-member majority among the state’s 38 seats in the House of Representatives. Any alteration of the map will only hurt the GOP’s sitting incumbents and comes with a risk of backfiring, experts said.”