Texas moves to preserve Trump's Congress grip

Texas legislators early 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.

- 

The state senate voted along party lines to pass the map 18-11 shortly after midnight, 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.