Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Dec 5: The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for Texas to use a new congressional district map in next year’s midterm elections, a move seen as boosting former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. The map, drawn by Texas lawmakers with the stated aim of increasing Republican representation, had been blocked by a lower court for allegedly considering race in its design.
The emergency order, granted at the request of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, paused the lower court ruling that had struck down the map. The new districts are projected to add up to five Republican House seats, strengthening the party’s narrow majority ahead of the midterms.
“This map reflects the political climate of our state and is a massive win for Texas and every conservative who is tired of watching the left try to upend the political system with bogus lawsuits,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The Supreme Court’s unsigned order noted that 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, apparently 6-3, saw the three liberal justices dissenting. Justice Elena Kagan wrote that the decision “disrespects the work of a district court” and “disserves millions of Texans assigned to districts based on race.”
Conservative Justice Samuel Alito, in a separate concurring opinion, emphasized that the plaintiffs challenging the map had not sufficiently demonstrated that race, rather than partisanship, was the motivating factor.
The decision has drawn sharp reactions. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticised the court for “rubber-stamping a racially gerrymandered map,” while Thomas Saenz, president of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, warned that the ruling could incentivize “guerrilla tactics” in redistricting, making it harder for courts to intervene.
The controversy centers on Texas’ effort to redraw districts outside the usual post-census schedule, reportedly at the urging of the Trump administration, to eliminate “coalition districts” where nonwhite voters form a majority. While states are permitted to redistrict for partisan gain, the Constitution and Voting Rights Act restrict using race as the primary factor.
The lawsuit challenging the Texas map was filed by groups including LULAC, the Texas NAACP, and Democratic lawmakers Al Green and Jasmine Crockett. The lower court had found evidence that the new districts amounted to a racial gerrymander, a finding now put on hold by the Supreme Court.