6 MONTHS for 99¢: Extended Cyber Monday Sale!Don't miss our best offer on digital access. Sale Ends Dec. 7 |
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld Texas Republicans' new GOP-heavy congressional map, handing the party a key victory as it heads into what is predicted to be a bruising midterm cycle.
In a split ruling, the court reversed a lower court's finding that the map was designed to weaken the voting power of racial minorities. While not the final decision in the case, it solidifies the map through at least the November midterms.
The map has major ramifications for Austin, San Antonio and Houston.
In Austin, it means the end the congressional career of U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, the longest serving Democrat from Texas in Congress. Doggett announced earlier he would not seek re-election if the maps went into effort to avoid a battle against U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin, in the redrawn 37th District, which now includes more of East Austin.
In San Antonio, it means a new congressional district stretching from the South Side's to Seguin, which will favor a Republican. There is no incumbent in that race, but more than a half dozen Republicans have said they are interested in the race.
In Houston, the map combines two districts that had Black Democratic representation into just one and creating an open seat that stretches from the East End to Liberty County that favors a Republican.
The map removes U.S. Rep. Al Green's home from the 9th Congressional District that he's represented since 2004, and puts it in the neighboring 18th Congressional where he is on a collision course to battle either Democrats Christian Menefee or Amanda Edwards, who are running to fill that district for he remainder of the late Rep. Sylvester Turner's tenure. Turner died in March.
More on the late-breaking decision here.
 | Jeremy Wallace, Texas politics reporter |
Who's Up, Who's Down
A daily stock market-style report on key players in Texas politics.
Up: Elon Musk
A change by the Trump administration to the federal government's $43 billion plan to bring high-speed internet to rural communities across the country stands to deliver a windfall for Texas billionaire Elon Musk. Instead of laying fiber-optic cables that largely serve cities and suburbs, the federal government is turning to lower-cost satellite service provided by companies like Musk's Starlink and Amazon LEO. The shift, which is expected to reduce costs to the federal government by close to $20 billion, is drawing concern that rural communities in Texas will be left behind in an increasingly digitized world, where everything from manufacturing to health care is reliant on high-speed internet connections.
Down: Transgender College Students.
Transgender students at Texas public universities will no longer legally be allowed to use multi-stall restrooms matching their gender identity starting Thursday, when Senate Bill 8 — better known as the "bathroom bill" — takes effect for public agencies, schools and universities across the state. The law mandates all multi-occupancy restrooms in public buildings be exclusively designated for males or females as defined by an individual's reproductive organs, not their presenting or identifying gender. How will it be enforced? Rather than punish individuals, the 2025 law puts the onus on public agencies to take "every reasonable step" to ensure that the law is being followed — and invites individuals to report violations to the Texas attorney general, which could lead to lawsuits or fines.
What do you think? Hit reply and let me know.
What else is going on in Texas
|
|
|
|
|
Pick of the day
Photo by: Houston Chronicle
Just when the THC industry in Texas thought they were in the clear, Congress has thrown them a monkey wrench that threatens it all. Entrepreneurs across Texas' hemp industry say they're confident they can convince Congress to overturn a new national ban on THC before it takes effect next November. But many warn that the looming prohibition is already complicating their ability to conduct day-to-day business and say many smaller operations may ultimately not survive. Reporter Isaac Yu looks at how the industry in Texas is bracing for an uncertain future.
What else I'm reading
The district charged with overseeing the construction of a massive set of gates across the mouth of Galveston Bay — known as the "Ike Dike" — announced this week that it has approved contracts with two global engineering firms to design the gates and a double set of dunes on either side of them. Emily Foxhall at The Texas Tribune reports that the idea for the "Ike Dike" goes all the way back to 2008 when Hurricane Ike wrought devastating damage to Bolivar Peninsula after a deadly storm surge tore through homes.
Unsubscribe | Manage Preferences
Houston Chronicle
4747 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77027
© 2025 Hearst Newspapers, LLC
No comments:
Post a Comment