Talarico cheers, Paxton vows appeal after Texas map ruling

The newly redrawn congressional map touted by Texas Republicans, which would have laid the groundwork for the party to pick up at least five new seats in the 2026 midterm election, was blocked Tuesday by a panel of three judges in El Paso.

The judges said the new map violated the U.S. Constitution because it was drawn based on race. The ruling means Texas will be required to use the map drawn in 2021 unless the decision is overturned on appeal.

Lawmakers and organizations across Texas were quick to respond to the court’s decision.

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

The nation’s oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization was the plaintiff in the case and extended its thank you to the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund team for successfully litigating the case.

"This court decision is a victory for the people of Texas and for every voter who has the right to determine who will govern them and who will shape the laws and policies of this state," said Roman Palomares, LULAC national president and board chairman, in a statement. "It also has far-reaching consequences for who represents us in the halls of Congress."

"LULAC celebrates this ruling as a historic moment that protects Latino voters, safeguards fair congressional representation, and prevents partisan manipulation of district lines that could distort legislative power in Washington," echoed Ray Mancera, the LULAC national vice president for the southwest. "This decision reinforces the principle that democracy works only when every voter is counted fairly and without political interference."

Attorney General Ken Paxton

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released a statement in response to the decision and vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court.

"The radical left is once again trying to undermine the will of the people," Paxton wrote. "The Big Beautiful Map was entirely legal and passed for partisan purposes to better represent the political affiliations of Texas. For years, Democrats have engaged in partisan redistricting intended to eliminate Republican representation. Democratic states across the country, from California to Illinois to New York, have systematically reduced representation of Republican voters in their congressional delegations. But when Republicans respond in kind, Democrats rely on false accusations of racism to secure a partisan advantage. I will be appealing this decision to the Supreme Court of the United States, and I fully expect the Court to uphold Texas’s sovereign right to engage in partisan redistricting."

State legislators

"Today, a federal court in El Paso made clear what has been known to Texans since the beginning: Abbott’s corrupt redistricting scheme was nothing more than an illegal attempt to rig the 2026 midterm elections, cheat voters, and do the bidding of his billionaire donors. He’ll now take the fight to Washington.

This summer, my fellow House Democrats and I tried to stop this corrupt power grab by breaking quorum — risking jail and removal from office. We fought for Texas then and will keep fighting for Texas against these blatant political games.

Texans are sick and tired of the chaos and corruption caused by Greg Abbott. Time and again, Abbott has taken direction from Washington, instead of leading on issues that matter to Texans, like bringing costs down, fully funding neighborhood schools, and addressing flood relief. Greg Abbott does not deserve an unprecedented fourth term."

"My fellow Texas Democrats and I broke quorum to shine a national spotlight on Trump’s redistricting power grab.

We inspired other states and millions of Americans to join the fight.

Moments ago a federal court struck down his rigged map.

This is why we fight back."

"From the moment they were introduced, I’ve maintained that these maps were racially discriminatory and unconstitutional. That’s why we fought so hard. That’s why we spent hours questioning their legality in committee hearings and on the House Floor, that’s why we left the state and broke quorum, and faced lawsuits, threats and retributions. I am glad that the courts agreed. This is a victory for Texas, our country and our democracy."

U.S. Congress members

"The court’s decision to throw out the 2025 maps is a win for voters — and for every North Texan who refused to be erased," Johnson said. "Texas Republicans tried to rig the system, silence voters of color, and divide the communities they couldn’t win outright. The court saw through it. By rejecting these maps, the court stopped a blatant power grab that would have stripped representation from thousands of Texans. Keeping our existing districts means our communities stay intact — families, neighborhoods, and schools that share real ties, not lines engineered to protect political power. I’m proud to continue representing Texas’s 32nd District — and I’m running for re-election to keep doing the work my constituents elected me to do: standing up for their rights, protecting their voices, and making sure the 32nd District always has a seat at the table."

"The court reached the right result in its decision to prevent the new Texas congressional map from going into effect for the 2026 elections. The evidence before the court made clear that race drove Texas’s mid-decade redistricting efforts from start to finish. In reaching its conclusion, the court found that the Plaintiff groups have shown a likelihood of success on their racial-gerrymandering challenges to the 2025 map. The 2025 map should offend every Texan–no matter who they vote for–because it betrays the fundamental principle that Texans should have a say in our government.

"This ruling is an important victory, and I am grateful to the dedicated team of lawyers and citizens who have worked tirelessly for this result. There is much more work to do to ensure that we have fair maps in Texas and across the United States, in the courts and in the Congress, and I am committed to continuing to be a partner and leader in this fight."

"For all those Republicans, who have tried for so many years in so many ways to assure my defeat by gerrymander, not yet, not so quick. Following a trial in El Paso regarding the new Trump gerrymander, a United States district court, has ordered that our upcoming election should be conducted using the existing congressional districts.

I am now actively seeking reelection, since this order means CD-37, which I represent; CD-35, which Congressman Casar represents; and all other Texas congressional districts, will remain unchanged for 2026. At this troubling time, as Trump poses a growing threat to our country and the world, having both of us, pushing back on the Trump regime is certainly better for Austin. And hopefully this court order will have a favorable impact on judicial consideration of extreme Republican gerrymandering in other states across the country.

While Paxton and Abbott are appealing directly to the US Supreme Court, I am hopeful about the final outcome, likely announced within a few weeks, since a Trump-appointed trial judge was one of those who just ruled against the Trump racial gerrymander."

Special groups

"Today’s ruling is a win for every Texan who believes in fair representation," said MALC Chair Rep. Ramon Romero, Jr. "The court confirmed what we’ve said from the beginning — this map was designed to divide communities of color and silence their voices. This decision restores faith that the law still protects voters, not politicians."

The ruling comes after MALC joined LULAC and other organizations representing minority voters in LULAC v. Abbott, challenging the map passed during Governor Abbott’s 2025 second called special session. Evidence at trial showed the map dismantled performing coalition districts and stripped power from the very communities driving half of Texas’s population growth over the last decade. The State of Texas is expected to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"We know the fight for fair maps is far from over," Chair Romero added. "But today, justice prevailed. We look forward to the Supreme Court reaffirming this decision. We’ll keep standing up for Texas voters until every community has an equal voice at the ballot box."

"This decision represents an important victory for Texas workers, for fair and representative maps, and for the strength of our democracy," said Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy. "While Donald Trump sought to impose a corrupt, self-serving map on Texas, working people across the nation rejected that effort. This ruling affirms that the voices of workers — not the influence of billionaires — must guide our democracy."