U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX) was first elected in November 2024. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson said she plans to run for reelection after a panel of three federal judges yesterday temporarily blocked a new congressional map from going into effect in Texas.
The big picture: Johnson was one of five Texas Democrats whose seats were threatened by a newly drawn map meant to give Republicans five additional GOP seats in the U.S. House.
Driving the news: The panel of judges said there is "substantial evidence" the map is "racially gerrymandered."
The court ordered Texas to use its 2021 map — the boundaries that were in place for the last election — but Gov. Greg Abbott and state officials appealed the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Zoom in: The 32nd District in Dallas, currently represented by Johnson, has leaned Democratic since former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred unseated 11-term Republican Pete Sessions in 2018.
What they're saying: "By rejecting these maps, the court stopped a blatant power grab that would have stripped representation from thousands of Texans," Johnson said.
Zoom out: Other Democrats who had been targeted in Texas' redistricting, and could potentially keep their seats under the old map, are:
U.S. Rep. Al Green (D-Houston)
Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo)
Vicente Gonzalez (D-McAllen)
Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin)
What's next: Dec. 8 is the deadline in Texas to file for candidacy in the U.S. House.
