Overview
- A three-judge panel in El Paso ruled 2-1 that Texas’ new map was likely an unconstitutional racial gerrymander and required the state to revert to its 2021 districts for the 2026 elections.
- Judges Jeffrey V. Brown and David C. Guaderrama formed the majority, with Judge Jerry E. Smith dissenting after a nearly two-week trial.
- The opinion highlighted a July Justice Department letter and statements by Governor Greg Abbott as evidence that race drove the mid‑decade redraw, including dismantling coalition districts and pursuing specific racial thresholds.
- Texas officials, including Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, said they will seek immediate Supreme Court review, with candidate filing deadlines and March primaries adding time pressure.
- The blocked Texas plan was part of a broader national push that includes Republican redraws in Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio and a California map approved by voters that could net Democrats up to five seats, all facing ongoing legal challenges.