A panel of three federal judges has blocked Texas from using a new congressional map that Republicans drew in hopes of picking up five U.S. House seats.
No, because while racial gerrymandering is illegal because race is a protected class, political gerrymandering is not because political affiliation is not a protected class.
More specifically: staunchly Republican supporting areas tends to lean heavily white, while staunchly Democratic supporting areas tend to be much more cosmopolitan and racially heterogeneous. This had pretty obvious implications on the legal viability of gerrymandering towards the right in our one-dimensional political system - assuming, of course, anyone actually gives a shit about court orders and precedent, which the current regime (and I lump the Texas state government in with them) kinda doesn’t, so who fucking knows.
To be fair, the GOP is running the same play in CA. They’re claiming CA’s gerrymandering is racial and needs to be halted.
This case is good because, if it goes to the SCOTUS, they can’t throw it out without also throwing out what the GOP is pushing for in CA. Or, if they try to throw it out, they’re going to need some expert level mental gymnastics.
100%.
The GOP is absolutely going to try to find some sort of silly reason why the two cases should be different.
Probably something a stupid about disenfranchising more districts with in-n-out burgers, and the cups contain bible verses on them, so religious discrimination.
California seems to have done it legally. Republicans have fought tooth and nail for decades to make gerrymandering legal. While I don’t believe in gerrymandering, I’m not going to try and save them from the literal consequences of their attacks on democracy. Maybe now Republicans will finally understand why an independent districting body matters.
Authorizes Temporary Changes to Congressional District Maps in Response to Texas’ Partisan Redistricting. Legislative Constitutional Amendment
There is no trigger tied to any action by the Texas redistricting committee. However, prior to Democrats putting the amendment on the California ballot…
On August 11, 2025, Newsom sent a letter to Donald Trump, stating that California would pause any mid-decade redistricting effort if other states called off their efforts. Two days later, Newsom announced that the deadline had passed and he would move forward with his own redistricting effort.
Now that the law has passed with overwhelming support (64/35 on final count), the map that was drafted by the independent bipartisan California Citizens Redistricting Commission is in effect going into 2026. This court decision has no effect on the California ballot amendment results or the enforcement of the new maps.
Yes. CA is basically responding to neutralize Texas. Ditto with this case. The GOP is trying to sue to top CA’s neutralization effort, and they’re claiming that CA’s very political gerrymander is secretly racist. In response, Dems are basically issuing the exact same racial gerrymander case in TX.
The one big difference is that CA’s voters are on record for supporting this. TX politicians are doing this without the consent of the people.
That language was removed, but you’re right it was there initially. I think they removed the language to be able to respond if several other states combined also redistricted.
In response to the congressional redistricting in Texas in 2025 (…) the single-member districts for Congress reflected in Assembly Bill 604 (…) shall temporarily be used for every congressional election for a term of office commencing on or after the date this subdivision becomes operative
It’s just that the legislature’s map shall be used for elections between the proposition’s passage and 2031’s regularly scheduled redistricting.
Independent districting is just as vulnerable to the GOP. They will eliminate any sort of independence whether through legislation or threatening non-GOP members.
That’s kind of the point of this law suit. The dems have a Texas suit about racial gerrymandering, and the GOP has a suit in CA about racial gerrymandering.
The point it’s to respond to Texas tit for tat. If TX gerrymanders, CA gerrymanders equivalently. Moreover, if the suit in Texas gets tossed by the SCOTUS, then the SCOTUS has an equivalent case in CA that will likely require an equivalent ruling.
The point in CA is to counterbalance, not make gains.
Okay now block California’s also
No, because while racial gerrymandering is illegal because race is a protected class, political gerrymandering is not because political affiliation is not a protected class.
More specifically: staunchly Republican supporting areas tends to lean heavily white, while staunchly Democratic supporting areas tend to be much more cosmopolitan and racially heterogeneous. This had pretty obvious implications on the legal viability of gerrymandering towards the right in our one-dimensional political system - assuming, of course, anyone actually gives a shit about court orders and precedent, which the current regime (and I lump the Texas state government in with them) kinda doesn’t, so who fucking knows.
To be fair, the GOP is running the same play in CA. They’re claiming CA’s gerrymandering is racial and needs to be halted.
This case is good because, if it goes to the SCOTUS, they can’t throw it out without also throwing out what the GOP is pushing for in CA. Or, if they try to throw it out, they’re going to need some expert level mental gymnastics.
You are referring to Olympic level mental gymnasts FYI.
100%. The GOP is absolutely going to try to find some sort of silly reason why the two cases should be different.
Probably something a stupid about disenfranchising more districts with in-n-out burgers, and the cups contain bible verses on them, so religious discrimination.
California seems to have done it legally. Republicans have fought tooth and nail for decades to make gerrymandering legal. While I don’t believe in gerrymandering, I’m not going to try and save them from the literal consequences of their attacks on democracy. Maybe now Republicans will finally understand why an independent districting body matters.
Isn’t California’s map dependent on the Texas one going into effect? That was the original wording at least back when it was first introduced.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_California_Proposition_50
The specific text of the Proposition is
There is no trigger tied to any action by the Texas redistricting committee. However, prior to Democrats putting the amendment on the California ballot…
Now that the law has passed with overwhelming support (64/35 on final count), the map that was drafted by the independent bipartisan California Citizens Redistricting Commission is in effect going into 2026. This court decision has no effect on the California ballot amendment results or the enforcement of the new maps.
Yes. CA is basically responding to neutralize Texas. Ditto with this case. The GOP is trying to sue to top CA’s neutralization effort, and they’re claiming that CA’s very political gerrymander is secretly racist. In response, Dems are basically issuing the exact same racial gerrymander case in TX.
The one big difference is that CA’s voters are on record for supporting this. TX politicians are doing this without the consent of the people.
That language was removed, but you’re right it was there initially. I think they removed the language to be able to respond if several other states combined also redistricted.
It is stated to be in response to Texas, but the amended constitution as far as I can see doesn’t use language about it being conditional on Texas’ plan happening.
It’s just that the legislature’s map shall be used for elections between the proposition’s passage and 2031’s regularly scheduled redistricting.
The verbiage in prop 50 that limited action based on Texas outcomes of implementing their maps was removed before Newsom’s signature.
For now, at least, California’s actions will continue to move forward.
I’d say don’t count Texas out yet.
Block it everywhere, implement independent districting everywhere.
Independent districting is just as vulnerable to the GOP. They will eliminate any sort of independence whether through legislation or threatening non-GOP members.
That’s how you get fair districts with some districts being more fair than others.
That’s kind of the point of this law suit. The dems have a Texas suit about racial gerrymandering, and the GOP has a suit in CA about racial gerrymandering.
The point it’s to respond to Texas tit for tat. If TX gerrymanders, CA gerrymanders equivalently. Moreover, if the suit in Texas gets tossed by the SCOTUS, then the SCOTUS has an equivalent case in CA that will likely require an equivalent ruling.
The point in CA is to counterbalance, not make gains.
TX will just disguise its intentions a little better next time.