Supreme Court Allows Texas New District Map for 2026

The Supreme Court granted Texas's emergency request on Thursday, allowing the state to proceed with its newly redrawn congressional district map for the 2026 midterm elections despite a lower federal court's finding that the plan likely violates the Constitution by discriminating on the basis of race. The decision, issued without oral arguments, puts on hold a November 18 ruling from a three-judge panel in El Paso that had blocked the map's use and ordered a return to the previous boundaries enacted after the 2020 census.

The high court's unsigned order extends an earlier temporary stay issued by Justice Samuel Alito on November 21, when the full court began reviewing Texas's appeal. It noted that the state is likely to succeed on the merits, citing potential errors in the lower court's analysis and concerns about disrupting ongoing election preparations, including candidate qualifying deadlines that began this week and primary elections scheduled for March. The order maintains the status quo for now, pending a full merits decision, which could come after the 2026 elections.

The new map, approved by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in August, redraws the state's 38 congressional...