Congressional Redistricting

The new map eliminates one of Travis County's two Democrat-held seats and pits Doggett against Rep. Greg Casar.

The state’s top Republicans swiftly praised the Supreme Court’s decision to allow Texas to use its controversial congressional map for the 2026 midterms. The map was designed to give Republicans as many as five new seats in the U.S. House.

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for a Texas congressional map that may help the GOP win five more U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterms. A lower court found the map is likely unconstitutional.

The U.S. Supreme Court will now make a final decision on whether Texas can use its new congressional map, which was drawn this summer to benefit Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections. The outcome could have a huge impact on which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives in the future.

The longtime Austin Democrat had previously said he would not seek reelection if the state's newly drawn congressional map, which favors Republicans, went into effect.

A federal court in El Paso had earlier Tuesday placed a temporary block on the map that Republican lawmakers passed this summer and ordered the state to use the district maps from the last two elections.

The congressional redistricting Texas Republicans pushed forward this summer didn’t just reshape two of Houston’s most historically diverse districts: It also changed which voters there have the power to choose who will represent them in Washington.

Nacar Devine has been showing up to federal court in El Paso every day since last week, when a panel of three federal judges began hearing arguments around a lawsuit attempting to block the state’s controversial new map of congressional districts. Given that no cameras or recording devices are allowed inside, she’s one of just a few dozen people bearing witness to the consequential legal battle.

A three-judge panel in El Paso will continue hearing arguments in a lawsuit challenging the controversial new map of Texas’ congressional districts. Ultimately, their decision will determine whether Texas can use the new map for the 2026 midterm elections.

The system created by Tom Hofeller has helped Republicans and Democrats embrace partisan gerrymandering. Now that foundation is leading states into a battle to win the U.S. House.