Texas Republicans unveil congressional map that could gift them five seats

Aggressive maneuver comes as the Republicans try to stave off losses in next year's midterm elections

Republicans have unveiled a new congressional map in Texas that would allow the party to pick up as many as five additional congressional seats, an aggressive maneuver that has already met decisive outcry from Democrats and comes as the GOP tries to stave off losses in next year's midterm elections.

Republicans already hold 25 of Texas's 38 congressional seats. But at the urging of Donald Trump, Texas's governor, Greg Abbott, called a special session this month to redraw the state's congressional districts. After contentious hearings across the state, Republicans unveiled their proposed map on Wednesday.