Texas Democrats are fretting over a likely primary battle between Reps. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) and Greg Casar (D-Texas) as Republicans move toward passing a new congressional map that pits the two incumbents against each other.

The proposed map, which gives Texas Republicans five congressional seats, draws the two Democratic lawmakers into one Austin-area district. A matchup would pit the 78-year-old Doggett, who was the first House Democrat to call on former President Biden to drop his presidential bid last year, against the 36-year-old Casar, who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

But in what many Democrats call an ironic twist, Doggett is pushing for Casar to run in the newly redrawn 35th district. The move was perceived by some Texas Democrats as Doggett waving the white flag in the redistricting battle before the new map was officially passed by the state legislature.

Additionally, Democrats are voicing concerns that an ugly primary would only seek to benefit Republicans and drain resources that Democrats could be using elsewhere in the state next year.

In an interview with The Hill on Friday, Doggett called on Casar to “explain to voters why I should be ousted and why he is surrendering the district to Trump.”

“It’s certainly a battle that is unfortunate to divide Democrats at a time when we need to be united against Trump,” Doggett said. “But I don’t see it as having to be a particularly mean race.”

However, when asked whether he plans to spend the $6.2 million he has in the bank, Dogget said........

© The Hill