October 1, 2025

Hi, it’s Jen Rice, reporter with Democracy Docket.

Sorry to be landing in your inbox so late — it’s been a long day here in El Paso, Texas. Opening arguments just wrapped up in a major federal court fight over Texas’s congressional map. I know many of you have been following the redistricting fight here and know how much is at stake, so I wanted to tell you first how it went.

This case is a big deal for Texas and nationwide:

• Texas: At stake is whether minority voters in the state will see their voting power diminished, giving more sway to conservative white voters.
  
  
• Nationwide: The balance of power in Congress starting in 2026 could be on the line with an additional five Republican seats.

On day one, we heard from two Texas Democratic lawmakers who testified that the purpose of the gerrymander was to target minority representation and reduce the number of districts where minority voters can elect the candidates of their choice. They told the court about the Texas GOP’s unusually rushed, secretive redistricting process, and how Republicans refused to answer even the most basic questions about the map. GOP lawmakers are set to testify in the coming days.

I’ll be in court for the next 10 days, reporting live from the courtroom. This on-the-ground coverage is only possible because of readers who support our work.

If you believe in independent, pro-democracy journalism and want to make sure we can continue reporting directly from the front lines, support Democracy Docket today.

Now's the time to power the critical work we're doing to expose what's happening to voting rights, elections and democracy in court.

Thanks for following along with me. More updates soon.

— Jen