Supreme Court Limits Federal Review of Texas Partisan Gerrymandering

The U.S. Supreme Court has played a pivotal role in shaping redistricting practices that significantly influence American electoral politics. In 2019, the Court's 5-4 decision in Rucho v. Common Cause, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, limited federal courts' authority to review partisan gerrymandering claims, effectively allowing extreme partisan redistricting to go unchecked at the federal level and intensifying political rivalry. This ruling has permitted Texas Republicans to pursue aggressive redistricting efforts to consolidate power, while Democrats plan countermeasures in other states. More recently, the Court signaled interest in Louisiana v. Callais, a case challenging the use of race in congressional district mapping under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which could restrict the creation of majority-minority districts and potentially lead to a significant shift favoring Republicans in the House ahead of the 2026 midterms. This prospective ruling threatens to undermine protections designed to ensure minority representation and could reshape the political landscape nationwide. These developments underscore the Court's growing influence in electoral matters, with consequences for democratic norms and the balance of power in Congress.