Five Stolen Seats: Texas Republicans Are Morally and Legally Justified to Reclaim Them

It is often said that democracy is messy. But the mess, it turns out, has rules. Mid-decade redistricting, particularly in Texas, is one of those rules that, though inconvenient to some, rests squarely within the bounds of constitutional authority and moral legitimacy. The cries of corruption now emanating from national Democrats, editorial boards, and progressive think tanks are neither new nor persuasive. They are, in fact, evidence that the Texas Legislature is doing precisely what the Framers intended: exercising its plenary constitutional authority to regulate congressional elections in a manner consistent with both law and democratic accountability.