Texas maps blocked for 2026; Prop 50 challenge raises questions for California

A federal panel has blocked Texas from using its newly redrawn congressional maps in the 2026 midterm elections, issuing a preliminary injunction after evidence suggested the maps may constitute an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. McGeorge School of Law professor Mary-Beth Moylan says the ruling will likely be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, noting that courts cannot overturn maps drawn for partisan reasons—only those shown to rely on race. She says the Texas case is different from the legal challenge facing California’s Proposition 50, which also alleges racial gerrymandering. Because California’s maps were approved by voters, not lawmakers, she says proving racial intent is harder, and the focus appears primarily political. Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley, whose district is ta