AUSTIN, Texas, July 8 (UPI) -- The Texas House Tuesday passed and sent to the Senate a GOP-backed congressional redistricting bill that could end the careers of six Democrat incumbents.
The Republican-controlled House approved the bill 83-62 after about nine hours of debate in the special session. The author said it would better represent Texas voting patterns than the current breakdown of 17 Democrats and 15 Republicans.
Democrats argued that the new boundaries would dilute Texas minority and rural representation in Congress. Fifty-one House Democrats staged a four-day walkout in the regular session to kill a GOP-backed redistricting bill.
The Senate may pose a stiffer test than the House. Two-thirds of the 31-member Senate is required to bring a bill up for debate and Democrats hold 12 Senate seats.
The Democrat congressmen who may be in danger are Max Sandlin of Marshall, Jim Turner of Crockett, Ralph Hall of Rockwall, Nick Lampson of Beaumont, Chet Edwards of Waco and Charles Stenholm of Abilene.
