A panel of federal judges has struck down Texas’ newly drawn congressional map, ruling that the state must use its 2021 district lines for the 2026 elections after finding substantial evidence of racial gerrymandering in the GOP-backed plan.
- A three-judge panel ruled that Texas’ 2025 congressional map unlawfully diluted the voting power of Black and Hispanic residents.
- Judge Jeffrey Brown wrote that the map was “much more than just politics,” citing extensive evidence of racial gerrymandering.
- The ruling requires the state to revert to the 2021 map for the 2026 election cycle.
- The decision deals a major setback to Republicans, who intended the new map to help secure up to 30 of Texas’ 38 seats.
- The case is expected to be appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court due to its three-judge panel structure.
- Candidates face a Dec. 8 filing deadline, leaving little room for further legal maneuvering.
- The ruling has prompted immediate shifts in campaign plans, with several Democrats now positioned to remain in their existing districts.
- The judgment follows a nine-day hearing in El Paso where advocacy groups argued the map intentionally weakened minority voting strength.
- Texas’ 2021 redistricting plan remains under separate legal review in an ongoing case before the same judicial panel.
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Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. This article may be updated as more details become available.
