The RecordExhibit 33
Ordering up a mid-decade gerrymander
Mixed rulings means: Courts have ruled both ways on parts of it.
At Trump's direction, Texas redrew its congressional map mid-decade to net an expected five Republican seats, after his Justice Department sent a letter targeting four Democratic districts.
What happened
Trump said Republicans were entitled to the seats. It set off a redistricting arms race, with California voters approving a counter-map.
Where it stands
A federal panel, in an opinion by a Trump-appointed judge, found substantial evidence of racial gerrymandering and blocked the map in November 2025. On Dec. 4, 2025, the Supreme Court put that ruling on hold over three dissents, so the map is in use for the 2026 midterms, and on April 27, 2026, it reversed the panel's decision outright in a brief order. The challengers' other claims against the map have not been fully litigated.
The administration's side
Texas says it's a lawful partisan map, and the Supreme Court majority cited the presumption of legislative good faith.
Sources
Permanent link: https://unredactedrecord.com/e/texas/