Redistricting plan proposed in Texas, according to Rep. Greg Casar, endangers the protection of voting rights
In the heart of Texas politics, a contentious redistricting plan is causing a stir, with Democratic Representative Greg Casar leading the charge against the proposed map. Casar alleges that the plan violates the Voting Rights Act by diluting the voices of voters of color, and he claims that the map merges his district with an adjoining one to silence his constituents and potentially remove him from Congress.
The Texas Republicans' plan for new congressional districts is criticized by Casar and others as a threat to "millions of Texans' voting rights." If passed, the new map could potentially lead to Casar losing his seat, as well as eliminating Hispanic opportunity districts in the Houston area and erasing any remaining Hispanic opportunity districts in Dallas, Fort Worth, or the Austin-area.
The legal interpretation of the Texas Republicans' redistricting plan centers on how the plan likely aims to increase Republican seats by altering or dismantling "majority-minority" and coalition districts. This has prompted challenges alleging racial vote dilution and discriminatory intent against Latino and Black voters, though the GOP strategy bets on courts—especially in the Fifth Circuit—not strictly enforcing the Voting Rights Act or allowing coalition claims.
Partisan gerrymandering claims are largely foreclosed federally due to the Supreme Court’s Rucho decision, which held that partisan gerrymandering is a political question outside federal court jurisdiction. Thus, Texas Republicans ensure districts have equal population to avoid "one person, one vote" challenges and instead focus their legal defenses on racial gerrymandering and vote dilution claims.
The new Texas map redraw significantly dismantles coalition districts where Latino and Black voters combined could elect candidates, replacing many with majority or plurality white districts. The GOP appears to be gambling that courts, particularly the Fifth Circuit, will not uphold coalition-based VRA claims. An earlier Fifth Circuit ruling disallowed coalition claims, influencing Texas to dismantle these districts rather than preserve them.
Repeated federal court rulings over decades found that Texas mapmakers intentionally discriminated against Latino voters to blunt their growing political power, a central issue now resurfacing. The GOP plan also appears to weaken Black political influence by reconfiguring districts with large Black communities, suggesting a deliberate political calculation to reduce minority representation.
Besides litigation risks, Texas’ political dynamics include efforts by Republicans to stifle Democratic opposition such as quorum-breaking by Democrats aimed at delaying the map’s approval, with state GOP pushing legislative and judicial measures to limit such minority party strategies.
More than 50 Texas Democratic lawmakers left the state and broke quorum during the state's 30-day special session to block the passage of a new redistricting map. The plan, according to Casar, was not drawn by Texas' elected officials but by the president's aides, and he states that the maps were not drawn by Texans in any meaningful sense. The white house Press Office denies drawing the maps and calls Casar's claims "categorically false."
The Democrats propose national independent redistricting to ban gerrymandering and prevent governors like Greg Abbott from breaking the rules. If passed, the Democrats warn that they may respond in kind by redistricting in other states. The special session, called to consider the proposed map, is scheduled to end on Aug. 19, but Abbott has the authority to call special sessions at any point, in perpetuity.
In summary, the Texas Republican redistricting plan is legally interpreted as a partisan strategy employing racial redistricting tactics to consolidate power while minimizing legal risks under the Voting Rights Act by dismantling coalition districts—a gambit contingent on courts being hesitant or limited in enforcing minority vote protections. Legal challenges are anticipated but the success of such challenges remains uncertain given current precedents and court compositions.
[1] FairVote.org, "Texas Redistricting: A Primer on the Legal Landscape," 2021. [2] Texas Tribune, "Texas Redistricting: What to Know About the Latest Maps," 2021. [3] Brennan Center for Justice, "Texas Redistricting: A History of Discrimination and the Future of Voting Rights," 2021. [4] The Texas Tribune, "Quorum Break: What Happens When Texas Lawmakers Flee Austin," 2021.
- The contentious redistricting plan in Texas politics is causing a stir, with Democratic Representative Greg Casar leading the opposition against the proposed map.
- Casar argues that the plan violates the Voting Rights Act by diluting the voices of voters of color.
- He alleges that the map merges his district with an adjoining one to silence his constituents and potentially remove him from Congress.
- The new map, if passed, could potentially lead to Casar losing his seat, as well as eliminating Hispanic opportunity districts in the Houston area and causing the erasure of any remaining Hispanic opportunity districts in Dallas, Fort Worth, or the Austin-area.
- The legal interpretation of the Texas Republicans' redistricting plan centers on how the plan likely aims to increase Republican seats by altering or dismantling "majority-minority" and coalition districts.
- This has prompted challenges alleging racial vote dilution and discriminatory intent against Latino and Black voters.
- The GOP strategy bets on courts—especially in the Fifth Circuit—not strictly enforcing the Voting Rights Act or allowing coalition claims.
- Partisan gerrymandering claims are largely foreclosed federally due to the Supreme Court’s Rucho decision, which held that partisan gerrymandering is a political question outside federal court jurisdiction.
- Thus, Texas Republicans ensure districts have equal population to avoid "one person, one vote" challenges and instead focus their legal defenses on racial gerrymandering and vote dilution claims.
- The new Texas map redraw significantly dismantles coalition districts where Latino and Black voters combined could elect candidates, replacing many with majority or plurality white districts.
- The GOP appears to be gambling that courts, particularly the Fifth Circuit, will not uphold coalition-based VRA claims.
- An earlier Fifth Circuit ruling disallowed coalition claims, influencing Texas to dismantle these districts rather than preserve them.
- Repeated federal court rulings over decades found that Texas mapmakers intentionally discriminated against Latino voters to blunt their growing political power, a central issue now resurfacing.
