Supreme Court reinstates Texas congressional map for 2026

Ruling reinstates GOP-backed redistricting plan after legal battle over alleged racial gerrymandering

The U.S. Supreme Court formally overturned a lower court ruling Monday, clearing the way for Texas' newly redrawn congressional map.

A previous ruling allowed the map to be used temporarily. In Abbott v. League of United Latin American Citizens, a ruling more formally ensures the maps will be used in the upcoming midterm election, overturning a federal district court decision that had blocked them.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called the decision a victory, saying the map is “lawful” and will be used in upcoming elections.

The legal dispute centers on a rare, out-of-cycle redistricting effort in the summer of 2025, after encouragement from President Donald Trump to help shore up a Republican majority in the 2026 midterm elections. This effort redrew all but one of the state’s 38 congressional districts.

There were challenges from activist groups and House Democrats, who described the move as gerrymandering and diluting the voting power of minorities in the state. Eventually, House Democrats left the state and broke quorum to try to stop the effort.

After Democrats returned, legal challenges were brought against the map, alleging it was discriminatory. A federal judge agreed, saying there was evidence the map was gerrymandered.

Lawyers for Texas asked the Supreme Court to block the ruling and temporarily allow the map in the primary election; the court agreed, saying Texas is "likely to succeed on the merits of its claim," including that the lower court "failed to honor the presumption of legislative good faith."

The ruling was 6-3, with the three liberal justices dissenting.

Monday's vote fell along the same ideological lines, with Justice Sotomayor, Justice Kagan, and Justice Jackson dissenting.