The US Supreme Court has ruled that Texas can use a redrawn congressional map that adds up to five Republican-friendly districts, handing Donald Trump a significant victory in his push to boost Republican seats ahead of next year's midterm elections. The decision, issued in an unsigned order, lifts a lower court's ruling that had struck down the state's new map in November.
The 6-3 conservative majority court granted Texas's request, with the three liberal justices dissenting. The Supreme Court stated that the lower court 'improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign, causing much confusion and upsetting the delicate federal-state balance in elections.'
This ruling comes amid a nationwide battle over the redrawing of electoral maps. Texas is a key component of Trump's strategy to reshape the US House map to secure Republicans' fragile majority for the second half of his term. Democrats need to flip only a handful of seats to win control of the House, and historically, the opposition party gains ground during midterm elections, especially when the president's approval ratings are low, as Trump's currently are.
