Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that tackling redrawing the state's congressional maps would be part of an special legislative session later this summer as Republicans seek to hold on to their narrow U.S. House majority in next year's midterm elections.

The state legislature will take the rare step of considering a mid-decade redrawing of district lines in light of concerns raised by the Justice Department.

Texas Republicans are signaling a possible redrawing of the state's congressional map in a move that's likely to spark legal battles and deepen partisan divides. Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday called for legislation to revise Texas' districts—maps that are tied up in federal court under claims they discriminate against Black and Latino voters.