The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Texas can use a new electoral map that would add more Republicans to the House of Representatives.
This allows the following year’s midterm elections to be held using new districts, which were drawn to favor Republicans.
Thursday’s decision temporarily halts a previous ruling by a lower court that had rejected the redistricting electoral map on the grounds that it was likely to discriminate based on race.
Texas made an emergency request to the Supreme Court for quick action because the qualification process for new districts was already underway with primary elections being held in March.
“The District Court improperly involved itself in an active primary campaign, causing great confusion and upsetting the delicate federal-state balance in the elections,” the Supreme Court said in a brief opinion explaining the decision.
Why is Texas redrawing its electoral maps?
Republican lawmakers in Texas introduced the new electoral map after President Donald Trump urged his party to redraw districts to benefit him and his party.
Under the current electoral map in Texas, Republicans hold 25 House seats while Democrats hold 13. The new map would potentially give Republicans up to 30 seats.
This led to a political crisis in the state and also allegations of gerrymandering – the redrawing of districts for political gain.
Thursday’s ruling in favor of the new map was supported by the Supreme Court’s six conservative justices, while its three liberal justices issued a dissenting opinion.
Justice Elena Kagan wrote in her dissent, “The District Court held a nine-day hearing… and after considering all the evidence, held that the answer was clear. Texas largely divided its citizens along racial lines to draw its new pro-Republican House map.”
New map may affect midterm elections
Republicans currently hold slight majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Losing this majority in the midterm elections could hamper Trump’s agenda and even open the door to congressional investigations of his actions.
The Supreme Court’s decision may have ramifications beyond Texas.
California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom responded to initial redistricting efforts in Texas with his own effort, which will target five Republican-held seats in his state.
In November, California voters overwhelmingly endorsed Newsom’s redrawn map. The Trump administration responded by suing California to stop the map from taking effect.
Edited by: Felix Tamsut