November 18, 2025      2:12 PM

Expect appeals process to move quickly after El Paso federal court blocks new Texas congressional map

The judges took particular issue with the DOJ letter that preceded the redistricting: “It’s challenging to unpack the DOJ Letter because it contains so many factual, legal, and typographical errors. Indeed, even attorneys employed by the Texas Attorney General—who professes to be a political ally of the Trump Administration – describe the DOJ Letter as ‘legally unsound,’ ‘baseless,’ “erroneous,’ ‘ ham-fisted,’ and ‘a mess.’”

Editor's note: The full order from the court is available to subscribers at the end of this story - SB

A three-judge panel of federal judges in El Paso on Tuesday afternoon blocked Texas from moving forward with the newly-redrawn congressional maps demanded by President Donald Trump over the summer, sparking a bitter fight at the Texas Capitol, a protracted quorum break, and a redistricting arms race around the country.

The last time a mid-decade redistricting played out under somewhat similar circumstances in 2003, the Democratic governors of other states did not counter the effort with maps of their own. But this year California Gov. Gavin Newsom took it as an opportunity to tell Republicans “FAFO” and successfully pushed voters on the West Coast to pass a map canceling out what started in Texas.

The Texas map, which gives Republicans a chance to pick up as many as five new seats in Congress, is on hold now as Attorney General Ken Paxton's office moves quickly to get the case before the United States Supreme Court.

The legal maneuvering can now happen very quickly.

By Scott Braddock

Copyright November 18, 2025, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved