HOUSTON — A federal court has blocked Texas from using its new congressional map for the 2026 midterm elections, ruling that the state must instead use a map passed in 2021. The decision by a three-judge panel, which included a Trump appointee, is seen as a major setback for President Donald Trump, who had called for redistricting to increase Republican representation from Texas in Congress.

One judge wrote in the ruling that politics played a role in drawing the new map, which was passed by the Republican-controlled legislature. The judge also found that substantial evidence shows Texas racially gerrymandered the map.

While this ruling doesn't affect the January special election, which was already set to use 2021 maps, it does change which districts will be used for the November midterm

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