President Donald Trump has endorsed Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) for reelection, praising him directly for signing the state's redrawn congressional map, a move Republicans believe could flip five House seats their way in November.
President Trump announced his support on social media, making no secret of the political stakes.
"Thanks to Greg's bold and effective leadership, the wonderful people of Texas will have the opportunity to elect 5 new MAGA Republicans in the 2026 Midterm Elections with the passage of their new, fair, and much improved, Congressional Map," Trump wrote.
He went further, describing Abbott as "an exceptional Governor and man," adding that he gives the governor his "complete and total endorsement" and that Abbott "will never let you down."
Trump also framed the endorsement in sweeping terms, crediting Gov. Abbott for championing tax cuts, border security, school choice, and energy development, and noted that he carried Texas with 6.4 million votes in 2024, which he called "the most votes in history, by far."
Abbott didn't hesitate to return the favor. "Thank you President Trump for your endorsement and for standing strong with Texas," the governor posted on X. "You have our back and Texas will always have yours."
Thank you President Trump for your endorsement and for standing strong with Texas. You have our back and Texas will always have yours. pic.twitter.com/QcWDUMdJyh
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 4, 2026
The Stakes Behind The Endorsement
Behind the mutual praise lies a high-stakes political maneuver with national implications. Abbott signed Texas's redrawn congressional map into law last August, reshaping a delegation that currently sits at 25 Republicans and 13 Democrats.
The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for use in upcoming elections after overturning a lower-court ruling that had blocked it on racial gerrymandering grounds, finding the original map was "racially gerrymandered."
Texas didn't start the redistricting wave, but it lit the fuse. After Trump pushed Republicans to redraw district lines for a midterm advantage, states across the country took notice.
Eight have now adopted new congressional maps, with more still weighing changes. Democrats in California fired back with their own redrawn districts, and the battle has since spread to Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and beyond.
Furthermore, Republicans believe aggressive redistricting could net them up to 13 additional House seats nationally. Democrats project gains of up to 10 from their own efforts.
With control of the House hanging in the balance, the maps being drawn today could prove just as decisive as the votes cast in November, and both parties know it.
