U.S. Supreme Court clears Texas' GOP-favored congressional map
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David Sanchez, left, and Christian Lopez, right, protest redistricting plans in Austin in August 2025. Photo: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday struck down a lower court ruling that blocked Texas from using its new congressional map favoring Republicans, cementing the new map, which was already being used.
The big picture: The ruling won't change anything for elections in Texas. The state held its primaries for the midterms in March, after the Supreme Court had given the go-ahead to use the new map.
State of play: Several lawsuits, including one filed by the League of United Latin American Citizens, had challenged the new Texas map on the basis that it was racially discriminatory.
- Redistricting based on politics is legal, but racial gerrymandering is not.
Catch up quick: In November, a panel of three federal judges temporarily blocked a new congressional map from going into effect in Texas, saying there is "substantial evidence" it is "racially gerrymandered."
- In December, the Supreme Court allowed Texas to use the new map for the primaries. Monday's ruling keeps that decision in place.
The latest: Liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented in Monday's ruling.
Context: States typically redraw congressional maps once a decade after the U.S. Census to account for changes in population. Doing so mid-decade at the request of a sitting president was unprecedented.
What they're saying: "This was an intentional effort to limit the power of people of color," Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement.
- "It is one of the most blatant examples yet of modern-day racial gerrymandering, under the thin guise of partisanship."
The other side: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott did not immediately comment on Monday's Supreme Court ruling. He's said in the past that Texas lawmakers redrew the state's map to reflect conservative voting preferences — and nothing else.
Zoom out: Texas kicked off a nationwide redistricting battle last year when it redrew its congressional districts in the middle of the decade at President Trump's request, as Republicans sought to maintain their hold on the U.S. House.
- But redistricting appears to have backfired for Republicans. With Virginia's vote last week, Republicans are now favored in fewer House seats than before they began redistricting.
Zoom in: In Texas, the GOP aims to pick up five seats. But Republicans leaned on gains among Hispanic voters that are showing signs of cracking, offering Democrats some hope.
What's next: All eyes are on Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday unveiled a new congressional map.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and will be updated.