Supreme Court rejects part of Texas redistricting

Link: Court KOs part of Texas redistricting - Politics - MSNBC.com.

I haven't had a chance to read the ruling but we'll go with the traditional media's report for now.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday threw out part
of a Texas congressional map engineered by former House Majority Leader
Tom DeLay, saying some of the new boundaries failed to protect minority
voting rights.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday threw out part of a Texas congressional map engineered by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, saying some of the new boundaries failed to protect minority voting rights.

The fractured decision was a small victory for Democratic and minority groups who accused Republicans of an unconstitutional power grab in drawing boundaries that booted four Democratic incumbents out ofoffice.

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, writing for the majority, said Hispanics do not have a chance to elect a candidate of their choosing under the plan.

Republicans picked up six Texas congressional seats two years ago, and the court’s ruling does not seriously threaten those gains. Lawmakers, however, will have to adjust boundary lines to address the court’s concerns.

At issue was the shifting of 100,000 Hispanics out of a district represented by a Republican incumbent and into a new, oddly shaped district. Justices had been told that was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander under the Voting Rights Act, which protects minority voting rights.

According the the SCOTUS blog, Congressional District 23, is invalid.CD 23 is the 'now held by Henry Bonilla (R). What to do... what to do... More to follow....