Texas Republicans are using this month’s special session to attempt to lock in the party’s majority in Congress by means of weakening or eliminating Democratic districts in the state.

As President Trump’s approval ratings slide and as Republicans brace for an unfavorable midterm environment, the president has called on the Texas GOP to give him five more seats in a nearly deadlocked House — forcing Democrats into a fight over redistricting they had hoped would happen in 2030, after they had several more years to make gains in the state.

Now that struggle likely will take center stage in the special session — originally called by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to deal with issues like a THC ban and the need for flood warning systems after this month’s catastrophic floods — and risks opening up a redistricting arms race around the country.

Here are five things to know about the special session on redistricting:

How does it work?

In legislative terms, redistricting proceeds like any other piece of legislation: A bill introduced in the House’s standing committee on redistricting then moves through other committees to a floor vote. If that bill becomes law, then a redistricting committee comprising state leaders — now all GOP — will get to redraw congressional maps.

It’s the circumstances around that potential bill that are unusual — and that, in Texas, carry deep historical overtones.

While redistricting generally only happens every decade after the results of the decennial census, Texas Republicans have often used middecade restricting to cement their power.

In 2003, Republican leaders........

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