Texas is taking its redistricting fight to the Supreme Court after a federal judge struck down the state’s newly drawn congressional map, which would have netted Republicans an additional five seats ahead of the 2026 elections.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown ruled that the map, approved earlier this year, was likely unconstitutional due to racial gerrymandering. The court ordered the state to revert to its 2021 map for the time being—a decision Texas Governor Greg Abbott slammed as “clearly erroneous” and “absurd.”
Abbott defended the 2025 map, saying it was drawn “to better reflect Texas’ conservative voting preferences — and for no other reason.” He called the court’s claim of racial bias “unsupported by testimony offered during ten days of hearings.”
“The public perception of this case is that it’s about politics,” Abbott said Tuesday. “And they’re right. This court ruling has more to do with preserving Democrat power than defending constitutional principles.”
The ruling from the three-judge panel stated bluntly: “Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map.”
The decision is already reverberating nationally as Democrats celebrate what they see as a victory for minority representation and redistricting fairness. “The Trump-Abbott maps are clearly illegal, and I’m glad these judges have blocked them,” said Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX). “If this decision stands, I look forward to running for reelection in my current district.”
Casar also renewed calls for federal legislation: “No matter what, we must fight to pass a federal ban on gerrymandering once and for all.”
The case’s escalation to the Supreme Court comes as other states, including Indiana, Virginia, and Florida, are facing their own redistricting challenges. The political makeup of the U.S. House in 2026 could hinge on how courts resolve these battles.
President Donald Trump, responding to the ruling, said he’s working with Republican governors to counter Democrat maneuvers elsewhere. “I am working with Governor Mike Braun and other Indiana Republicans, on picking up two Republican Congressional seats,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Meanwhile, California is pushing back. Voters there recently passed Proposition 50, a controversial ballot measure that seeks to counterbalance the Texas map by adding five new Democrat-majority districts. The measure is now facing legal challenges from both the Justice Department and the California Republican Party, which argue the proposition violates federal election law.
The Supreme Court is also expected to weigh in on a pivotal Louisiana case involving Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which could significantly weaken federal oversight of redistricting based on race. If the court narrows or strikes down that provision, states like Texas could see far fewer legal constraints when redrawing political maps.
For now, Texas Republicans are bracing for a legal showdown with national implications—and a political battle that’s far from over.
The post Texas to Appeal Redistricting Ruling to Supreme Court After Court Blocks GOP-Friendly Map appeared first on Real News Now.
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