Texas legislators early on Saturday approved a new electoral map aimed at carving out five new Republican-leaning seats in the state to help the party retain control of Congress in next year’s midterm elections.
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The state senate voted along party lines to pass the map 18-11 shortly after midnight local time, following more than eight hours of heated debate.
Last week, the state legislature’s lower chamber adopted the bill.
Democratic Senator Carol Alvarado’s last-ditch plans to filibuster the map were thwarted when Republicans used a rare procedural motion to halt debate, end the filibuster, and proceed directly to the final vote.
It now heads to Governor Greg Abbott’s office, where he is expected to swiftly approve it.
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Democratic Senator Sarah Eckhardt said on social media that shutting down a filibuster was “unprecedented”.
