Shortly after filing the petition, Justice Samuel Alito issued an administrative stay, temporarily putting the lower panel\u2019s decision blocking Texas\u2019 new maps on hold.<\/p>\n
The state asked the high court for an administrative stay on the lower court ruling, noting Texas has an “election already in progress,” referring to congressional primary elections in March.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court most recently blocked lower court rulings related to redistricting cases in Louisiana and Alabama.<\/p>\n
Texas redrew its congressional map last summer in a President Donald Trump<\/a>-backed effort that could help Republicans gain five seats in next year\u2019s midterms.<\/p>\n REPUBLICANS PUSH BACK OVER ‘FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF RACISM’ IN BLOCKBUSTER REDISTRICTING FIGHT<\/a><\/p>\n Texas on Friday filed an emergency petition to the U.S. Supreme Court following a ruling by a panel of federal judges who blocked the state from using its redrawn congressional map, calling it “racially gerrymandered.” (Alex Wong\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n U.S. District Judge<\/a> Jeffrey V. Brown, a Trump appointee, joined by U.S. District Judge David Guaderrama, an Obama appointee, in the majority ruling said: “The public perception of this case is that it’s about politics.”<\/p>\n “To be sure, politics played a role in drawing the 2025 map,” the judges said. “But it was much more than just politics. Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map<\/a>.”<\/p>\n Judge Jerry Smith, a Reagan appointee and the third of the three-judge panel, dissented without explanation.<\/p>\n The State Capitol is seen in Austin, Texas.\u00a0 (AP Photo\/Eric Gay, File)<\/p>\n REPUBLICANS PROTEST DOUBLE STANDARD AFTER JUDGES CALL TEXAS REDISTRICTING PLAN \u2018RACIALLY GERRYMANDERED\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n The ruling was a significant blow to the Trump administration. It comes as Trump and his Republican allies<\/a> have raced to pad the party’s razor-thin House majority in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections \u2014 including by imploring some states to launch rare, mid-decade redistricting efforts.\u00a0<\/p>\n Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio have redrawn their congressional maps as well, and other states like Florida and Kansas are weighing similar efforts.<\/p>\n Democratic states<\/a> are also considering redrawing their maps to counteract Republican efforts.<\/p>\n Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton vowed on Tuesday to appeal\u00a0to the Supreme Court. (Jahi Chikwendiu\/The Washington Post via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Most prominently, California voters<\/a> approved by a wide margin earlier this month a plan to redistrict the state in an effort that could wipe out Texas\u2019 new map.<\/p>\n![\"Supreme](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/supreme-court-justices.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/texas-state-house.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Ken](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ken-paxton.jpg\")
<\/p>\n