Let's pick back up with the special
legislative session that begins tomorrow.
Democratic areas in Texas had the most
population gains in the last census,
but Republicans control the process
of redistricting because they have
majorities in the legislature and
the GOP could carve out districts to
submit their leads for the next decade.
Our next guest is state Rep.
James White, a Republican from East Texas,
who also has a seat on the
House Redistricting committee.
Representative White
welcome back to the program.
Let's start with redistricting.
Obviously, the big deal that
everyone is talking about,
but that begins officially on Monday.
Democratic areas have the most
growth Republicans, though,
still control the actual process.
Do you see Republicans picking
up any new seats in the in
the Statehouse or in Congress?
The ultimate answer to your
question is November 2022 is
what the people will choose,
not necessarily what people in.
On committees or on the House floor,
the people will choose,
ultimately, who continues to serve
them in the Texas Legislature
at the end of the day, though,
there will be two new congressional
seats carved out in Texas
because the state has grown
so much over the last decade,
which parts of the state do you
expect will get representation?
Additional representation
in Congress from these,
my thought is, you know,
you know their their congressional
seats that will have to shed population
because their areas have grown.
That's Republican and Democrat
controlled congressional seats.
And there are Democratic congressional
seats that obviously need population
or areas that need population.
So I would say somewhere in between there.
We'll find out where they'll
seats should be apportioned.
Representative why you're
being awful coy with us,
though is is the Houston area San
Antonio Austin Dallas Fort Worth?
Where do you think or the OR the
valley or even out in West TX? Where do
you think these are gonna go?
Well again this is a collective process,
right? It's not that I'm being coy.
It's a it's a.
It's a collective process look, ultimately.
You know they're just some parts of the
state that are definably Republican.
There are other parts of the state
that it finally definably Democratic,
but ultimately it's going to be about
great candidates, attractive candidates,
competitive elections, OK?
Uh, that bring voters out.
They make the decisions. Do
you really think that redistricting
can be settled in one legislative
session over 30 days?
This is my second redistricting cycle.
My first session was in 2011.
We started the session with 101 Republicans,
a so-called supermajority.
We had to draw maps and it
resulted in Republicans losing.
Maybe you know,
if you say redistricting was to call us,
he could have just been bad candidates,
right? You know, everybody wants to
blame it on redistricting, but it
just could be you just a bad candidate?
He just didn't win all right?
But putting that aside,
I think we dropped 789 seats and in 2012
and then we had this situation in 2018.
A map that, you know.
You would say were controlled by Republicans,
who drew it back in 2011 with some
alterations in 2012 and 2014.
You know the the Democrats
picked up a number of seats in
the House and the Senate.
The governor has several other
legislative items on the call for this
third special legislative session.
What are the chances though,
that that lawmakers will
actually have time to address
anything besides redistricting?
I think it's highly probable that I
found up out here in Austin since 2011.
We can really do what we want to do
if we want to do it, and obviously,
if there are repercussions,
a level of accountability.
To pay or to take back home.
So I'm looking forward to
addressing all these issues.
I mean, I'm I'm hoping that the
governor put something on the
call dealing with this troubled
Child Protective Services system.
We you know,
we had a a very tortured court hearing
yesterday and we need to get after that,
so I hope that's on the call or as well
represented. Why we appreciate the time.
I know we'll talk to you before your
session is up or your term is up too.
So thank you very much for the time.
Thank you Sir, God bless you.