U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett has announced that he will not seek reelection in 2026 following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Texas’s newly redrawn congressional map.
This new map has resulted in the elimination of one of the two Democrat-held seats in Travis County, setting the stage for a potential electoral showdown between Doggett and fellow Democratic Representative Greg Casar. Doggett had previously indicated that he would not run if faced with this scenario.
In a statement released on Friday, Doggett expressed his commitment to serve with the same dedication as if it were his final term in office. “I will continue working with the same urgency and determination as if next year were my last, which in public office it will be,” he stated. “After that, I will seek new ways to join my neighbors in making a difference in the only town I have ever called home.”
Doggett’s decision follows a series of legal battles regarding the redistricting. In November, a three-judge panel in Texas ruled that the new congressional maps were influenced by racial gerrymandering, mandating the state to revert to maps drawn in 2021. However, Texas Governor Greg Abbott quickly appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which allowed the state to temporarily reinstate the new map while deliberations continued.
The Supreme Court’s ruling was issued on Thursday, with Justice Samuel Alito writing for the majority. He stated that the district court had not adequately respected the presumption of legislative good faith and that it had overstepped by intervening in an active primary campaign, which caused confusion and disrupted the federal electoral balance.
Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. Kagan, in her dissenting opinion, argued that the court’s decision would unjustly place many Texas citizens in electoral districts based on their race, a violation of constitutional principles that the Court has consistently upheld.
The Texas Legislature approved the new congressional map earlier this year during a special session, a move influenced by former President Trump’s desire to secure five additional Republican seats ahead of the midterm elections in 2026. This ruling is expected to enhance the GOP’s prospects of maintaining a majority in the House of Representatives, potentially facilitating the continuation of Trump’s agenda.
Doggett criticized this move, stating, “Trump’s racial gerrymandering is only his first major shenanigan designed to win next year’s election and retain a House that poses no restraint to his dangerous whims and incessant drive for unlimited power. More outrageous schemes will follow.”
With more than 50 years of experience in Texas politics, Doggett began his career in the 1970s as a state senator representing Austin, and he has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1994.
