The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed Texas to use its new congressional map for the 2026 midterms, delivering a major victory to President Donald Trump and GOP leaders who have been pursuing mid-decade redistricting to solidify Republican control of the House. The unsigned order halted a lower federal court’s ruling that deemed the map likely unconstitutional for racial gerrymandering and prohibited its use. Arriving just before Texas’s December 8 candidate filing deadline, the decision clears the way for a map projected to flip up to five Democratic seats, a shift that could determine House control during the final two years of Trump’s presidency. The justices criticized the lower court for failing to honor the presumption of legislative good faith and said it violated the Purcell principle by intervening too close to an election.
Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, wrote that the map’s motivation was “partisan advantage pure and simple,” a crucial distinction because federal courts cannot block maps on partisan gerrymandering grounds. The key legal question is whether race, rather than politics, influenced district lines. Justice Elena Kagan dissented, arguing that the majority undermined Texans who were assigned to districts based on race and improperly overrode the trial court’s findings. Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott celebrated the ruling, calling it a significant win for conservatives and declaring Texas “officially – and legally – more red.”
The ruling has immediate political consequences, particularly for Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett, whose district is effectively dismantled under the new map. Crockett responded defiantly on X, criticizing the attention surrounding her next move and emphasizing that her decision will be based on “facts & not feelings.” She is widely expected to announce a Senate run in Texas, a path likely to mirror the unsuccessful statewide campaigns of fellow progressive Beto O’Rourke.