A federal court hearing to determine whether Texas’ new congressional maps can be used in the March 2026 primaries concluded last Friday, leaving a three-judge panel to decide whether to approve the new boundaries or keep the 2021 districts in place. A ruling is expected within a week and will likely be appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The uncertainty is already reshaping the political landscape in North Texas. Under the proposed maps, Democrats would lose one of their three congressional seats in the region, with the 32nd District—currently held by Rep. Julie Johnson—redrawn into a Republican-majority district that stretches into East Texas. Several GOP hopefuls have already filed to run, including State Rep. Katrina Pierson (R-Rockwall), who said she is “seriously considering” entering the race.
“I’ve been active in the Republican Party for 15 years, fighting for conservative values,” Pierson told CBS News Texas. “There’s been a lot of pressure for me to run, and I’m honored people want me to represent them.”
If the new maps are upheld, the 33rd District—now represented by Democrat Marc Veasey—would shift entirely into Dallas County. That change has set off a scramble among area Democrats, including Veasey, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and Johnson, whose current district overlaps with the proposed 33rd. Former LULAC president and ex–state legislator Domingo Garcia is also exploring a run, noting the district’s large Latino population and inclusion of Oak Cliff.
Crockett or Veasey could alternatively compete in the new 30th District, which retains a majority-Black electorate and expands further into Tarrant County. Veasey said he plans to run for reelection regardless of district lines, vowing, “I will be on the ballot, I’m in the fight, and I fully intend to win.”
Meanwhile, Crockett has been mentioned as a potential U.S. Senate contender, topping a recent University of Houston–Texas Southern University poll. Though she called a Senate bid “unlikely,” she said she would consider it if data showed she could expand voter participation.
Civil rights groups including LULAC and the NAACP have sued, arguing Republicans used race to dilute minority representation. State officials deny that, maintaining the maps were drawn strictly along partisan lines—a strategy the courts have previously upheld.
