Supreme Court backs Texas Congressional Map Favored by Republicans
WASHINGTON – The โSupreme Court on Friday approved a โฃnew congressional map for โTexas, drawn by the state’sโค Republican-controlled legislature, in a notable victory for the GOP ahead of the 2026 โmidterm elections.The decision allows the map to be used in upcoming elections, perhaps bolsteringโ Republican chances of maintaining โor expanding their majority in the House ofโฃ Representatives.
Theโ case centered on allegations that the Texas map violated Sectionโ 2โ of the Voting โฃRights Actโ by diluting the votingโค power โof minority voters. Civil rights groups โขand Democratic challengers argued the map unlawfully reduced the number of districts where minorityโ voters could elect their โpreferred candidates. However, the Supreme Court sided with Texas officials, finding no evidence of discriminatoryโ intent or effect.
This ruling arrives as the Supreme Court also considers two other election-related cases concerning deadlines for counting mailedโข ballots and โขlimits on โฃcampaignโฃ contributions.โฃ The justices haveโข agreed toโ hear arguments regarding whether mailed ballots postmarked by Election Day should be counted, following a โtriumphant challenge by the โฃRepublican Party againstโค mississippi’s five-day grace period. Sixteen states currently โallow such grace periods, a practice potentially threatened by the Court’s eventual decision,โ according toโ the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Another case before the Court challenges aโค 2001 decision limiting how much political parties can spend on advertising in coordination with federal โcandidates. Republicans, including senator J.D. Vance, are challenging the ruling, while Democrats argueโฃ that limits are necessary to prevent corruptionโ amidโข record campaign โขspending.
