The Supreme Court allowed Texas’ redistricting maps to remain in place for the 2026 midterms in a 6-3 unsigned opinion Thursday.

The maps could grant the GOP five additional seats in the House of Representatives.

Thursday’s ruling comes after a lower court recently tossed out the maps, with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott appealing that decision.

The decision was an ideological split, with the six conservative justices ruling in favor of pausing the ruling from a lower court. Three liberal justices dissented.

Thursday’s move from the court has key implications for the midterms.

At issue for the maps according to the lower court was a concern that the newly redrawn maps posed constitutional issues based on race.

As the unsigned opinion of Abbott v. LULAC read in part, “Texas is likely to succeed on the merits of its claim that the District Court committed at least two serious errors.” The opinion also mentioned that the lower court “improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign, causing much confusion and upsetting the delicate federal-state balance in elections.”

Texas is not the only state to consider redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterms. California voters passed Proposition 50 last month to redraw maps to give Democrats a further edge in the Golden State in an effort spearheaded by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Those maps have also been challenged.

Both sides of the political aisle have been pushing for redistricting in recent years, with President Donald Trump and JD Vance urging red states to redraw their maps. Vance has framed the matter about Republicans needing to act after years of “very aggressive Democratic tricks” on redistricting.

The 2026 midterms look to be particularly consequential with Republicans narrowly controlling the House and with a slim majority in the Senate, though they do not have enough votes to overcome the filibuster.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

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