The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed Texas to use a new congressional map that is expected to boost Republicans in next year’s midterms, blocking a lower court ruling that found the boundaries were likely drawn based on race. The unsigned order preserves President Donald Trump’s effort to solidify GOP control of the House.
The lower court had ruled the map unconstitutional, saying Texas lawmakers redrew districts primarily to change the racial makeup of several seats. The Supreme Court said the judges failed to give the legislature the “presumption of good faith” and wrongly intervened so close to the primary calendar.
Justice Elena Kagan wrote in dissent that the ruling “disserves millions of Texans,” arguing the evidence showed voters were reassigned because of their race. She was joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Texas Republicans praised the ruling, saying it ensures the state can move forward with the “Big Beautiful Map” ahead of Monday’s filing deadline. Democrats and civil rights groups said the court effectively allowed a racially gerrymandered plan to stand.
The dispute is part of a broader nationwide fight over mid-decade redistricting, with similar cases pending in states like California and Louisiana as both parties race to secure House advantages before the 2026 election.