A federal court Tuesday blocked Texas from using its newly drawn congressional map in next year’s midterms, ruling that the map is likely an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
The ruling, which is likely to be appealed, is a major setback for President Donald Trump and Republicans, who had made Texas the centerpiece of a national campaign to redraw maps ahead of the midterms. Republicans in Texas had aimed to produce as many as five more seats favorable to Republicans next year at the president’s behest.
The court ordered Texas to use its previous map, which the state enacted after the 2020 census.
US District Judge Jeffrey Brown, who was appointed to the bench by Trump in 2019, wrote that the challengers were “likely to prove at trial that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map.”
The three-judge panel that heard the case split 2-1, with Obama appointee David Guaderrama joining Brown. Reagan appointee Jerry Smith opposed the decision.
Texas Democrats who fought the GOP-led effort – including by leaving the state to delay the passage of the map – celebrated Brown’s ruling.
“A federal court just stopped one of the most brazen attempts to steal our democracy that Texas has ever seen,” said state Rep. Gene Wu, who leads the Texas House Democrats.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who called the special sessions for the legislature to create the new map, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
