Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told Newsmax Friday that the Supreme Court's decision upholding Texas' redrawn congressional map affirms that states can draw districts for partisan reasons — something he said Democrats have long done in states they control.
Paxton told Newsmax's "Rob Schmitt Tonight" the ruling was not surprising, given the court's previous decisions on redistricting.
The Supreme Court on Thursday granted Texas' emergency request to block a lower federal court ruling that said the state's map amounted to an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
The stay allows Texas to use the new map for the 2026 midterm elections while litigation continues.
Paxton said Democrats have long manipulated congressional boundaries to lock in advantages, pointing to states that send all-Democrat congressional delegations despite substantial Republican populations.
"It's been happening for years. The Democrats have been doing it," Paxton said.
"It's hypocritical for them to complain about Texas doing the very same thing that multiple Democratic states have done, including nine states that have no Republican representation, despite the fact that there are many Republicans in those states."
He said critics of the ruling are ignoring the Supreme Court's established position that partisan gerrymandering, unlike racial gerrymandering, is permitted.
"The court has said for years they've allowed this. It is how the Democrats have done what they've done," Paxton said.
"The Supreme Court particularly has said that you can politically gerrymander as long as it's not based on other factors like race.
"If you do it for political reasons, which is exactly what we did, then you can draw the lines however the legislature politically determines it is in the best interest of that state," he said.
Paxton added that he hopes the ruling encourages other Republican-led states to revisit their maps and approach redistricting with the same strategy Democrats have used.
"It's about time the Republicans started doing it," he said. "I hope that we're the cutting edge for other Republican states [to] go back and do the same thing."
The Supreme Court's decision came as several GOP-led states, including Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Utah, have redrawn congressional maps following calls from President Donald Trump to solidify the party's narrow majority in the House.
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight’s special series and President Trump’s comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.