Texas appeals to U.S. Supreme Court after federal judges block newly drawn congressional map for next year's midterm elections

Texas Files Appeal with US Supreme Court After Federal Judges Block New Congressional Map

In a move that could potentially alter the electoral landscape of Texas, federal judges have blocked the state's newly drawn congressional map, citing concerns over racial gerrymandering. The decision has sparked widespread reaction among state leaders and lawmakers.

The three-judge panel ruled 2-1 in favor of striking down the map, which was designed to preserve a Republican majority in the House of Representatives for the next year's midterm elections. Democrats, who were facing the prospect of being squeezed out of representation under the original map, have welcomed the ruling as a victory.

Under the map at issue, Democrats would have been forced into a "game of political musical chairs," with some members set to retire or face primary challenges. However, the federal judges' decision means that this may no longer be the case.

The judges found substantial evidence to support their claim that Texas had racially gerrymandered the 2025 map, which is illegal under federal law. They also cited a U.S. Department of Justice letter to Governor Greg Abbott from July, warning that four coalition districts made up of Blacks and Latinos must be dismantled and redrawn.

The DOJ's letter targeted only majority non-white districts, with no mention of majority white districts. This raised suspicions among the judges, who concluded that the real motive behind the map was partisan rather than racial.

Governor Abbott has slammed the decision as "clearly erroneous" and vowed to appeal to the US Supreme Court. The state filed its appeal late on Tuesday afternoon, sparking a further round of reaction from lawmakers.

Democrat Rep. Julie Johnson praised the ruling, saying that the attempt by Republicans to disenfranchise voters of color was "egregious". Fellow Democrat Rep. Marc Veasey echoed her sentiments, saying that the court's decision showed that he and other Democrats were on solid legal ground.

On the other hand, Republicans have criticized the judges' decision as wrong and expressed their confidence in the US Supreme Court to review the matter.

One Republican candidate for attorney general, Aaron Reitz, claimed that the map was designed to draw more Republican seats, which is why they will ultimately win. Fellow candidate State Senator Mayes Middleton echoed this view, saying that the map is partisan and will help Republicans secure victory.

The ruling has significant implications for next year's midterm elections, with Rep. Johnson and Rep. Veasey announcing plans to run in their respective districts despite the change.

This whole thing is just wild... I mean, come on, a federal judge gets blocked from even drawing up a map because of racial gerrymandering allegations? It's like, what's next? Are we gonna have to draw our maps by candlelight or something?

And don't even get me started on the Republicans' "partisan" spin. Like, no one really believes that they didn't know their new map was a joke from day one. I mean, it's not rocket science, folks! If you're trying to keep your party in power by stuffing minority voters into a few districts... yeah, that's a pretty clear case of gerrymandering.

At the same time, I'm all for anyone who's fighting against this kind of stuff. Reps Johnson and Veasey are totally on the right side of things here. And good luck to them with their re-election bids - whoever wins is gonna be a winner!

I'm telling ya, this whole gerrymandering thing is a joke . Like, can't politicians even be honest about their intentions anymore? The fact that they're trying to sneak in these maps to disenfranchise certain groups just because it's "partisan" rather than racial... it's like, come on!

And don't even get me started on the DOJ letter. They're only targeting the non-white districts, but still, that's a pretty clear attempt to manipulate votes. It's not like they're worried about fairness or equality – it's all about winning .

The Republicans are just mad because their plan got blocked, so now they're trying to spin it as some kind of conspiracy. But let's be real, folks... they knew what was coming and they still went ahead with it .

It's gonna be interesting to see how this plays out in court, but I'm not holding my breath. Politicians are politicians – they'll do whatever it takes to stay in power .

I'm thinking about this whole gerrymandering thing... it's like they're trying to control who gets a say in politics. I remember when I was younger, we had those voting booths with the secret ballots, and people would actually tell you how important that vote was. Nowadays, it feels like it's all about who can manipulate the map to their advantage.

I'm not saying I agree or disagree with the judges' decision, but what gets me is that they're appealing to the Supreme Court... again. It's like we're stuck in some kind of loop where no one can actually make a change. And it's all happening right under our noses, without anyone really talking about the real issues. I guess that's why my grandkids always say "information is power"... you gotta stay informed if you want to make any sense of this mess.

It's not just Texas either... have you seen what's going on in other states? It's like we're all being played by some master chess player. I'm just hoping that next year's elections are actually about the candidates and their policies, not who can control the voting booths.

I can imagine how frustrating it must be for the politicians in Texas right now . This decision is huge for democracy and ensuring fair representation for all voters . I'm so glad that the judges were able to see through the partisan motives behind the map . It's not okay to try to disenfranchise people just because they're from a certain racial or ethnic group . The fact that Rep. Julie Johnson and Rep. Marc Veasey are standing up for their rights and announcing plans to run in their districts is amazing . I hope the US Supreme Court reviews this case soon so we can get some closure .

I'm kinda surprised that Governor Abbott is appealing this decision all the way to the US Supreme Court . Like, what's he really worried about? Does he think the court's gonna rule in his favor? I mean, the judges already found evidence of racial gerrymandering and it doesn't seem like a partisan move at first glance . It's actually kinda weird that the DOJ letter was just targeted at majority non-white districts without mentioning any white districts .

But for real though, this ruling does change things up for next year's elections . I'm curious to see how it all plays out and what the final map looks like . Will Republicans be able to adapt? Can Democrats finally get some representation in Texas? It's gonna be interesting to watch .

And can we talk about how the DOJ letter was written? Like, why not include white districts if they were worried about racial gerrymandering? Just seems like a weird omission to me .

man i think about this gerrymandering thing a lot its like how we manipulate reality to suit our own goals but what if thats not just politics but human nature? we all want to be heard and represented but when it comes down to it are we really looking out for each other or just trying to hold onto power. the lines get blurred so fast its hard to know whats real anymore

The whole thing seems kinda fishy to me. I mean, a three-judge panel finds evidence of racial gerrymandering, but then there's this DOJ letter that only targets majority non-white districts... sounds like some cherry-picking to me . And now Governor Abbott is all bent outta shape, saying the decision is "clearly erroneous" and vows to appeal to the Supreme Court . That's like trying to put a Band-Aid on a bullet wound . I just wanna see how this all plays out in the next year's midterm elections... might be interesting to watch

idk why texas republicans are so upset about this , they were basically begging for a chance to disenfranchise voters of color ... i mean, the fact that they drew a map that would've forced dems into "political musical chairs" is pretty sus . but at the same time, i'm not sure if the judges made the right call, like, maybe the DOJ's letter was kinda biased towards minority groups ... and what about the Republicans who are saying they'll just win anyway? ain't that kinda arrogant? . anywayz, it's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out

I'm thinking, isn't this just another example of politicians trying to game the system? Like, who really knows what went into drawing that map ? The judges' decision is all about racial gerrymandering, but shouldn't we be talking about how all these maps are basically a puzzle to begin with . And now Governor Abbott's planning to take this to the Supreme Court... isn't that just a fancy way of saying "we're gonna keep arguing until someone gives in"? Anyway, it's kinda interesting that Rep Johnson and Veasey are already running for re-election despite the change . Guess you could say they're not exactly taking this ruling as a reason to step down

Ugh this is getting crazy . I mean think about it - a whole state's congressional map gets blocked because of racial gerrymandering? That's just messed up. The fact that Republicans are already planning on appealing and saying they'll win anyway is just so frustrating . Can't we just have fair representation for once? It feels like no matter what happens, there's always going to be some kind of drama surrounding elections in this country . And now with the DOJ warning about those four coalition districts, it's even more clear that there was some serious underhandedness going on. I just wish we could get past all this and focus on actually making progress on real issues .

I mean, can you believe it? Texas is like "Hey, we drew these crazy maps, but our judges are like 'Uh nope, you gotta try again' Guess that means more politicians playing musical chairs... and this time, they're not going anywhere! The DOJ was right to crack down on racial gerrymandering – it's just basic fairness. I mean, who wants a game where some people get screwed just because of the way their neighborhood looks? Not me, that's for sure. And honestly, if Governor Abbott thinks he can outsmart the courts, good luck with that...

just when you think you're done drawing the lines for yourself, life throws a curveball guess what? the real prize ain't always winning or losing, it's about being played fairly i mean, come on, folks! shouldn't we all want to be able to play by the same rules? no room for gamesmanship here, just genuine representation for our people and that's exactly what these judges are fighting for. it's not about winning or losing as a party, it's about making sure every single voice gets heard so let's all take a deep breath and hope the system works in our favor

Texas just filed an appeal with the US Supreme Court after those federal judges blocked their new congressional map . I'm still trying to wrap my head around it... apparently, they think the judges made a mistake . But from what I've read, those judges had some pretty solid evidence that Texas was all about racial gerrymandering , and the DOJ even warned them off in July . It's like, come on, guys... if you're gonna try to mess with voting rights, at least have the decency to do it fairly .

And honestly, I don't get why they're so upset about this . The judges just did their job and followed the law . It's not like they were out to get Republicans or anything . But I guess when you've got a lot of power at stake, sometimes people get a little testy .

I'm still hoping for a better outcome in the long run , though. Everyone deserves an equal shot at representation , and that's what this ruling is all about . Fingers crossed it holds up

It feels like they're still playing the same old game of redistricting - you know, back when they used to draw these crazy maps that looked more like a kid's drawing than an actual district . Anyway, it's like 1999 all over again with this partisan gerrymandering stuff. The DOJ is sending warnings left and right, but politicians just don't listen, man... It's always some shady deal or another to rig the system in their favor. I mean, can't they just focus on getting things done for the people instead of trying to draw lines around who gets represented?

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole gerrymandering thing ... like, I know it's been going on forever, but honestly, can't we just have fair maps? The idea that politicians are drawing district lines to favor one party over another is wild . And now the US Supreme Court is getting involved, which makes me nervous . I mean, I'm all for protecting voting rights and stuff, but don't they need to look at all the evidence before making a ruling? It's not just about partisan politics; it's about people's lives being affected by these maps . I guess we'll have to wait and see how this plays out...