Texas Democrats react as SCOTUS upholds redrawn congressional map

Texas State House Democrats are reacting to the U.S. Supreme Court's approval of the state's 2025 redrawn congressional map, championed by state Republicans.

The ruling, handed down Monday morning, April 27, with Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting, concluded that Texas state lawmakers' efforts to get the map approved after President Trump asked the legislature to flip five U.S. House seats for Republicans.

Texas GOP state lawmakers began efforts in 2025 to redraw the map, but stateHouse Democrats fled to thwart the process. However, the map was ultimately passed and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Soon after it passed, the League of United Latin American Citizens filed suit against the redrawn map, with the lower court ruling in their favor. However, in December 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that the lower court's action was improper because it came too close to the 2026 elections.

This allowed the state to use the map while the justices deliberated on the issue. Monday's ruling cemented its use.

Texas Democrats speak out against Supreme Court's ruling

Texas House Minority Leader Rep. Gene Wu issued a statement on behalf of the state's House Democratic Caucus, saying the Supreme Court did not protect the Constitution but rather protected a "racist map" that stole seats, weakened Black and Latino voting power, and allowed the GOP party to remain in control in Congress.

"As much as this decision stings, Greg Abbott should not confuse this ruling for a victory," read the statement. "When we broke quorum last year, Texas House Democrats forced his power grab into the open. Now, California and Virginia have answered and leveled the playing field, and Democrats across the country are still fighting back. Trump and Abbott may have found six justices willing to excuse this scheme — he has not found a way to make it right, nor a way to win.”

Texas Democratic Party chair Kendall Scudder also issued a statement agreeing with what Wu is saying that the map is set to dilute Black and Latino voices in the state and protect the Texas GOP and Trump from "accountability."

"This wasn’t normal redistricting, it was a mid-decade attempt to change the rules, rig the system, and let Republicans handpick their voters instead of allowing voters to choose their own representatives," read Scudder's statement. "If the system is stacked, the answer is clear: organize, turn out, and win anyway."

Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at [email protected].