In a significant victory for the Republican Party, the Texas Supreme Court has ruled that the state can implement a newly redrawn congressional map that could create up to five additional seats favoring Republicans. This ruling comes as Donald Trump and GOP leaders strategize to enhance Republican representation in Congress ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

The court’s decision followed a 2-1 ruling from a three-judge panel that previously rejected Texas’s new map, citing concerns over racial gerrymandering. The panel found that the state had likely segregated voters based on race, an illegal practice that undermines democratic principles. As a result, the majority mandated that Texas revert to the congressional map established after the 2020 census for the approaching elections.

Texas plays a crucial role in Trump’s strategy to reshape the layout of the U.S. House and promote Republican interests. With similar efforts underway in states like North Carolina and Missouri, Republicans are pushing new maps that could potentially secure an additional seven Republican-friendly seats nationally. In response, Democrats are working to counteract these changes with newly proposed maps in California and Virginia, even as the GOP and Trump’s Justice Department pursue legal action to challenge these Democratic initiatives.