Texas Congressional Redistricting Case

America and the Courts featured interviews and a debate about a Texas redistricting case now before the U.S. Supreme Court. Three Texas districts were created in 1991 by the state legislature. These districts are heavily populated by African American and Hispanic voters. A group of Texas citizens challenged the way the districts were drawn and the case has reached the U.S. Supreme Court. In an interview, Phil Duncan of Congressional Quarterly described the historical background of the case. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) was elected to the new District 30 when it was formed, and she favors keeping the districts as they are. Edward Blum, a Texas citizen challenging the congressional districts, and who lost the 30th District election to Rep. Johnson, has filed, along with others, the Texas redistricting case. Linda Chavez, president of Center for Equal Opportunity, and Professor Jamie Raskin of American University Law School, debated the redistricting case. close