The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Texas’ new congressional boundaries has prompted Rep. Lloyd Doggett to retire, a development he says could lead to a surprising map backfire for Republicans. Doggett announced his exit after justices affirmed the GOP-drawn map that split his district, cementing a new political landscape in the state.
Doggett, 79, acknowledged the personal cost but argued Republicans may have overextended themselves. He told Fox News Digital, “My overall view is one of cautious optimism that people recognize that the midterm elections began this summer by Trump when he initiated the new redistricting.” He added that several state House districts “have become competitive that may not have been competitive last time.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling removed lingering doubts by finding the lower court “failed to honor the presumption of the legislative good faith.” The maps, designed to eliminate as many as five Democratic seats, have already forced multiple retirements and reshaped the state’s political battlefield. Doggett warned, however, that Republicans may face shifting demographics, particularly among Latino voters, who make up roughly 40% of Texas’ population. “They said they were basically packing Hispanics in some districts… this could come back to create a problem for them,” he said.
Experts note that even intentional redistricting advantages are temporary. Matthew Green of the Catholic University of America said partisan maps “tend to ‘stack the deck,’” but Texas’ unpredictability means long-term outcomes are uncertain. A GOP strategist echoed that view, noting that advantages in any state are fleeting in a closely divided Congress: “It’s always a game of inches.”
Doggett also suggested that immigration may resonate differently in future cycles, saying Republicans “are fighting the last war,” though the issue remains central for conservative voters concerned with border security and national stability. The congressman’s departure ends nearly five decades of public service and removes an incumbent who last won re-election with more than 74% of the vote. His retirement statement thanked constituents from “McAllen to San Antonio, from San Marcos to La Grange.”
With Doggett stepping aside, Democrats lose a long-standing seat-holder, while Republicans prepare to capitalize on a map drawn in their favor—one both parties now acknowledge carries the possibility of a future map backfire.
