On Thursday the Supreme Court allowed Texas to use a congressional map that will help President Donald Trump’s effort to make sure Republicans keep control of Congress. The order pauses a left-leaning lower court decision that found the new boundaries were likely unconstitutional because they were “drawn based on race.”
The decision could have significant influence in next year’s midterm elections, which will determine control of the House for the final two years of Trump’s presidency. Had Texas been blocked from using its new map, it would have gotten in the way of Trump’s nationwide push to avoid a Democratic House majority.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton applauded the decision Thursday. “The Big Beautiful Map will be in effect for 2026,” he said. “Texas is paving the way as we take our country back, district by district, state by state. This map reflects the political climate of our state and is a massive win for Texas and every conservative who is tired of watching the left try to upend the political system with bogus lawsuits.”
“Texas is officially – and legally – more red,” said Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in a statement.
Attorney General Pam Bondi also applauded the decision in a social media post writing, “Federal courts have no right to interfere with a state’s decision to redraw legislative maps for partisan reasons. A federal district court ignored that principle two weeks ago, and the Supreme Court correctly stayed that overreaching decision tonight.”