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Federal Court Blocks Texas’ 2025 Congressional Map, Orders Reversion to 2021 Lines

Texas officials plan a direct appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on an expedited timeline.

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Democratic Texas Representative Gene Wu speaks during a press conference after the passing of H.B. 4, during a session in which Democratic lawmakers, who had left the state to prevent Republicans from redrawing Texas's 38 congressional districts, returned to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, U.S., August 20, 2025. REUTERS/Sergio Flores/File Photo
State Rep. Matt Morgan, R-Richmond, surveys a map of proposed new congressional districts in Texas, as Democratic lawmakers, who left the state to deny Republicans the opportunity to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, began returning to the Texas Capitol in Austin on Aug. 20, 2025.

Overview

  • The three-judge panel ruled 2–1 that there is substantial evidence the 2025 map is a racial gerrymander, granting a preliminary injunction after nearly two weeks of hearings in El Paso.
  • Judges Jeffrey V. Brown and David C. Guaderrama formed the majority and ordered the 2026 U.S. House elections to proceed under the 2021 map; Judge Jerry E. Smith dissented.
  • The opinion highlighted a summer DOJ letter targeting “coalition districts” and Gov. Greg Abbott’s subsequent directive to redraw lines as key evidence that race predominated in mapmaking.
  • The scrapped map was designed to make up to five Democratic-held seats more Republican, which analysts said could have raised the GOP’s haul to about 30 of Texas’ 38 seats.
  • The case heads directly to the Supreme Court under redistricting rules, compressing the timeline ahead of early-December candidate filings as related map fights continue in California, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio.