Executive Summary
- A federal court has blocked a new Texas congressional map intended to increase the number of Republican-held seats.
- The judges ruled that the map constituted illegal racial gerrymandering, which violates the U.S. Constitution.
- The plan was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott and had been endorsed by President Donald Trump.
- The state of Texas is expected to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
A panel of federal judges on Tuesday blocked Texas from implementing a new congressional map, ruling that the plan signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott constituted illegal racial gerrymandering. The map, which was endorsed by President Donald Trump, was designed to increase Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Court Finds Evidence of Racial Motivation
The court acknowledged that politics are an inherent part of the redistricting process but found that the Texas plan crossed a constitutional line. In the ruling, District Judge Jeffrey Brown stated, “Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map.” While political gerrymandering is often tolerated, the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently ruled that redistricting based on race violates the Constitution.
The invalidated map was approved by the Texas legislature and signed by Governor Abbott on August 29. Republicans currently hold 25 of the state’s 38 congressional seats. The proposed changes were initiated just four years after the last redistricting, a departure from the typical 10-year cycle that follows the U.S. Census.
National Implications and Next Steps
The effort to redraw Texas’s districts is part of a broader national strategy by both political parties to gain advantages in closely contested states ahead of midterm elections. The current split in the U.S. House is narrow, with Republicans holding a slight majority. The ruling in Texas follows contentious redistricting efforts in other states, including a Democratic-led initiative in California.
State officials are expected to appeal Tuesday’s verdict to the U.S. Supreme Court. The ultimate fate of the Texas congressional map will likely be decided by the nation’s highest court, where a conservative majority presides. For now, the previous map from 2021 remains in effect.