Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton got some good news from the Supreme Court, which issued an administrative stay temporarily suspending a lower court's injunction on the state's controversial congressional redistricting plan.
Paxton wasted no time announcing the win on X, noting that Texas will "continue to press forward in our case on the merits." The stay comes after he filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court on Friday, right after a three-judge district court panel slapped a preliminary injunction on the map earlier in the week.
A Map Born From Drama
The redistricting saga has all the makings of a political thriller. Back in August, the Texas Legislature approved the new congressional boundaries, and Governor Greg Abbott signed them into law. The plan would create five additional pro-Republican districts before the 2026 elections—a significant shift in the state's political landscape.
But it didn't go smoothly. More than 50 House Democrats literally left the state in August to prevent the GOP from reaching the quorum needed to vote on the maps. Paxton responded by filing a lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court seeking to remove 13 of the absent lawmakers.
Former President Barack Obama weighed in on the controversy, calling it "a power grab that undermines our democracy." Paxton saw things differently, stating bluntly: "Texas engaged in partisan redistricting solely to secure more Republican seats in Congress and thereby better represent our state and Texans."
The legal fight is far from over, but for now, Texas can proceed with its new map while the case moves forward.
