News|Donald TrumpUS Supreme Court allows Texas to use redrawn district map for 2026 midtermsThe new Texas map, backed by Donald Trump, has sparked similar efforts for partisan redistricting across the US.
## Supreme Court Decision on Texas Congressional Map
Supreme Court Decision on Texas Congressional Map
On Thu, Oct 19, 2023, the United States Supreme Court permitted the state of Texas to proceed with a congressional map designed to favor Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections. The decision was made along ideological lines, with the six conservative justices in favor and the three liberal justices dissenting.
The ruling lifts a previous order from November by a lower court, which had blocked Texas from utilizing the new map. The lower court had determined that the map constituted racial gerrymandering, violating the US Constitution. Texas subsequently filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, emphasizing the urgency as campaigning for the November 2026 midterms is underway.
In an unsigned order, the majority concluded that Texas was likely to succeed "on the merits of its claims." The order referenced court precedent suggesting that altering election rules close to an election could cause "irreparable harm" to the state.
The decision has sparked a nationwide initiative to redesign congressional districts before the midterms. Historically, partisan redistricting, or gerrymandering, has been contentious. While partisan gerrymandering is not illegal, gerrymandering based on race is prohibited under the US Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The decision was made along ideological lines, with the six conservative justices in favor and the three liberal justices dissenting.
The case, Greg Abbott v. the League of United Latin American Citizens , reached the Supreme Court after a US District Court for Western Texas sided with plaintiffs claiming the Texas map diluted the voting power of Black and Latino communities. The Supreme Court, however, found that the lower court did not sufficiently honor the presumption of legislative good faith.
Texas officials have expressed approval of the ruling. Governor Greg Abbott stated that the decision aligns Texas representation in Congress with state values. Attorney General Ken Paxton defended the Republican map, emphasizing Texas's right to draw its congressional districts.
Justice Elena Kagan, in a dissent, criticized the Supreme Court's decision, arguing that the lower court conducted a thorough investigation and provided a comprehensive decision that the Supreme Court overturned without adequate examination.
Despite the setback, plaintiffs and advocates continue to oppose Texas's redistricting efforts, asserting that voters should determine their representatives, not the reverse. Legal challenges regarding partisan redistricting efforts in other states, like California, are ongoing.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.