Supreme Court rules Texas can use redistricting map during 2026 midterms

The Supreme Court gave Republicans a major victory Thursday by ruling that Texas can use its recently redrawn congressional redistricting map in the 2026 midterms, which could give Republicans another five seats in the red state.

The ruling comes after Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito temporarily blocked a lower court order last month that found Texas’ map was likely unconstitutional because it was likely racially gerrymandered.

The Supreme Court determined Thursday that Texas was likely to succeed on the "merits of its claim that the District Court committed at least two serious errors," including that it "failed to honor the presumption of legislative good faith by construing ambiguous direct and circumstantial evidence against the legislature."

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, celebrated the ruling in a statement, declaring that he "protected" the map in front of the Supreme Court. 

"In the face of Democrats’ attempt to abuse the judicial system to steal the U.S. House, I have defended Texas’s fundamental right to draw a map that ensures we are represented by Republicans," 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."

Republican leaders have launched redistricting efforts in multiple states this year, which would ideally help the GOP secure more seats in Congress during next year's midterms. Some Democratic-led states, like California, are redrawing their own maps in retaliation for potential conservative gains. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.