A panel of federal judges has prohibited Texas from implementing its newly redrawn congressional map, which was orchestrated by Republican lawmakers in a bid to reinforce their slim House majority ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. The court has mandated that Texas revert to its previous congressional map established in 2021. The ruling, issued by Judge Jeffrey Brown—a nominee of former President Donald Trump—is expected to be challenged.
Should an appeal be filed, it will head straight to the U.S. Supreme Court, setting the stage for a significant legal confrontation that could have implications for the balance of power in the House of Representatives. This ruling represents a considerable setback for Trump, who had encouraged Texas Republicans earlier this summer to create a new map projected to secure up to five additional seats, igniting a nationwide redistricting discussion.
In his ruling, Brown acknowledged the political dimensions of the case but emphasized that the situation extends beyond mere politics. He noted the presence of substantial evidence indicating that the new Texas congressional map was racially gerrymandered. His opinion particularly highlighted earlier arguments from the Department of Justice, which pressured Texas to redraw its maps and warned of potential legal action if they did not eliminate “coalition districts”—congressional constituencies composed predominantly of nonwhite voters, designed to comply with the Voting Rights Act.
Judge Brown opined that the Justice Department’s claim regarding the constitutionality of these coalition districts was “legally incorrect.” He stated that Texas’s decision to redraw its congressional map in light of the DOJ’s letter indicated a directive from the Governor for the Legislature to engage in racially motivated redistricting, leading to the conclusion that the plaintiffs could plausibly demonstrate that the latest map was racially gerrymandered.
In a parallel political dynamic, Texas’ Republican-led legislature and Governor Greg Abbott enacted the controversial district lines in August despite significant opposition from Democratic lawmakers, who staged walkouts in an attempt to block the proposed changes. In response to Texas’s actions, California Democrats recently approved their own redrawn congressional map, which could potentially yield up to five additional seats for them, signifying a broader battle over congressional representation as states navigate the intricate landscape of redistricting.