A political and legal storm is brewing in Texas as Governor Greg Abbott has officially called a special legislative session set to begin on July 21, 2025, with redistricting at the top of the agenda. The move follows mounting pressure from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which has raised serious concerns over the legality of several congressional districts — concerns that could reshape the state’s political map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
At the center of the controversy are four congressional districts: TX-09, TX-18, TX-29, and TX-33. These districts, according to the DOJ, may constitute unconstitutional “coalition districts,” where different minority groups are combined to form a voting bloc. The DOJ argues that such districts potentially violate the Voting Rights Act (VRA) because they don’t guarantee cohesive minority representation as required under Section 2 of the act.
This scrutiny from the DOJ isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s been heavily influenced by a recent ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Petteway v. Galveston County. In that decision, the court held that coalition districts — which combine two or more minority groups (for example, Black and Hispanic voters) — are not protected under Section 2 of the VRA unless those groups can demonstrate a clear history of voting as a cohesive bloc. This precedent has emboldened state Republicans and drawn the ire of voting rights advocates, who say it could dismantle years of hard-won minority representation.
Supporters of the redistricting effort argue that it’s a legally necessary step following the court’s clarification and that Texas must update its maps to comply. However, critics are alarmed, warning that the redistricting push is a calculated power play to preserve and potentially expand the Republican Party’s slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. With the 2026 midterms on the horizon, redrawing the lines could significantly impact electoral outcomes not only in Texas but across the nation.
Civil rights organizations, Democratic lawmakers, and some legal scholars say the proposed changes risk diluting minority voting power — particularly in urban areas where communities of color have historically held influence. They argue that eliminating coalition districts undermines fair representation in a diverse state like Texas, where no single minority group may form a majority but together, they comprise a significant voting bloc.
As the July special session approaches, all eyes are on Austin. The outcome of this redistricting debate could set a national precedent, especially in other southern states watching closely to see how courts and legislatures handle coalition district legality in the post-Petteway era.
While the legality of coalition districts remains unsettled at the federal level, what is certain is that Texas is now the frontline in a broader battle over representation, race, and political power in the United States.
