{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/cornyn-cruz-file-amicus-brief-backing-texas-emergency-application-to-implement-new-congressional-map/", "Cornyn, Cruz File Amicus Brief Backing Texas\u2019 Emergency Application to Implement New Congressional Map", "2025-11-25", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "www.cornyn.senate.gov", "cornyn", "https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "AUSTIN \u2013 U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) yesterday filed an amicus brief in support of the State of Texas\u2019 emergency application to the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay of the district court injunction that barred Texas from implementing its new congressional district map. The Senators did so in part on the basis of the Purcell principle, which holds that courts should not change election rules shortly before an election.\n\n\u201cThe Texas legislature holds the authority to redraw the state\u2019s congressional districts, and as we quickly approach the 2026 election, it is critical for both voters and candidates that the State\u2019s new map be in place,\u201d said Sen. Cornyn. \u201cI\u2019m proud to file this amicus brief in support of Texas\u2019 emergency application to the U.S. Supreme Court to help ensure Texans get a fair election next year using the congressional district map passed by the Texas legislature.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Constitution entrusts redistricting matters to the states and to state legislators,\u201d said Sen. Cruz. \u201cThe federal district court\u2019s preliminary injunction was not made on the merits of the case, runs counter to precedent and to principles of federalism, and undermines the prerogatives of Texas lawmakers and the will of Texas voters. The Supreme Court should stay that preliminary injunction, and do so expeditiously in order to provide certainty in our election maps and rules as we approach deadlines for the 2026 election.\u201d\n\nExcerpts from the amicus brief are below, and the full text of the brief can be viewed here.\n\nThe Senators wrote: \u201cOn November 18, 2025, a split, three-judge district court of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas threw caution to the wind and held that a group of six advocacy groups (collectively, \u2018Plaintiffs\u2019) were entitled to a preliminary injunction because it believed the Texas Legislature\u2019s new congressional district maps, enacted in August 2025, \u2018racially gerrymandered\u2019 eight (out of thirty eight) districts in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment\u2019s Equal Protection Clause.\u201d\n\n\u201cTo remedy this perceived violation, the district court ordered Texas to revert to its 2021 congressional map. By granting the injunction, the district court violated the Purcell principle, a \u2018bedrock tenet of election law,\u2019 which prohibits federal judges from altering State election rules and procedures shortly before such elections are held,\u201d the lawmakers continued.\n\n\u201cBy failing to apply Purcell, the court caused massive disruption, chaos and confusion within the State itself, as well as for political parties, candidates, local election officials, and Texas voters. Consequently, the district court\u2019s preliminary injunction must be stayed pending further order of this Court,\u201d they continued.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/cornyn-cruz-file-amicus-brief-backing-texas-emergency-application-to-implement-new-congressional-map/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5413276851177216, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}