State representative challenges new district map

Texas State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer filed a lawsuit Dec. 13 in U.S. District Court challenging the newly drawn district lines for Congressional District 35.

Congressional District 35 stretches from Austin to San Antonio along the I-35 corridor. The lawsuit alleges that the newly drawn maps signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and discriminate against Latino voters.

The suit is one of many legal challenges facing the state in the aftermath of the redistricting special session. Most recently, the federal Department of Justice filed suit against the state of Texas for Section 2 violations in both the congressional and state House maps.

Martinez Fischer issued a statement in a press release.

“The nature of redistricting is creating winners and losers. District lines change, incumbents gain new constituents, and communities are divided. This is inevitable,” he said. “What should not be inevitable is the intentional discrimination against Latino, black and AAPI voters that we have come to expect from Texas Republicans in redistricting. That is why I am challenging the state of Texas over the loss of a Latino opportunity district in Texas Congressional District 35, in direct violation of Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.”