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The new Texas congressional maps have made it through the legislature and have now begun their fight through the court system too. Hearings regarding the new maps kicked off yesterday in El Paso and could continue for another eight days.
So what can we expect to see from these lawsuits over the next several weeks? Well, we have a good idea thanks to the recent precedent set by Galveston County's redistricting case back in 2023.
Galveston County Commissioner and RNC Committeeman Dr. Robin Armstrong previewed what the process could look like, saying, "They're going to either make us use the previous maps or allow us to move forward, and then it's going to be appealed to the Fifth Circuit either way."
According to Armstrong, these lawsuits aren't a surprise at all; in fact, he expects a positive result for the GOP in at least the Fifth Circuit. He said, "It's hard to determine how these court cases make their way through, but I think that it's going to turn out favorable for us. I think that our chances of getting a favorable ruling at the Fifth Circuit are high."
He did point out that the courts will have to move quickly here, explaining, "Filing for our offices begins in November, which is just a little over a month away. They have to have a decision by November the 8th."
That's because political candidates will have to know whether or not they actually live in the district they're running for.