(The Center Square)–Texas is appealing a federal district court ruling in a lawsuit filed over its new redistricting law.
On Tuesday, a panel of three judges on an El Paso district court ruled 2-1 against the new congressional maps and ordered Texas to use a 2021 redistricting map for the 2026 midterm election.
Judge Jeffrey Brown wrote the opinion for the court noting that the same groups that sued over the 2025 electoral map also sued over the 2021 electoral map, also claiming it was discriminatory.
Despite this, Brown said, “there are several reasons why revering to that map is the most legally sound reasonable solution. First, this remedy is the one the Plaintiff Groups request. Second, the 2021 Map was drawn by the Legislature, and courts favor legislative-drawn maps over judicial ones. Third, the State has already used the 2021 Map in two previous congressional elections and is still using it in one special election that is ongoing.”
Gov. Greg Abbott and Republican members of the legislature, who hold the majority, argue both maps are legal and the legislature followed the law when drawing them. The 2025 map better reflects the will of the voters who have overwhelmingly increased voting Republican in the last two elections, including Hispanic-majority districts, they argue.
“The Legislature redrew our congressional maps to better reflect Texans’ conservative voting preferences – and for no other reason,” Abbott said. “Any claim that these maps are discriminatory is absurd and unsupported by the testimony offered during ten days of hearings.”
He said the court’s ruling “is clearly erroneous and undermines the authority the U.S. Constitution assigns to the Texas Legislature by imposing a different map by judicial edict. The State of Texas will swiftly appeal to the United States Supreme Court.”
Attorney General Ken Paxton also said his office was appealing to the Supreme Court requesting it to stay the lower court’s ruling. He also said the 2025 map is “entirely legal.”
The ruling is the latest effort made by Democrats to block the law from going into effect. Earlier this year, House Democrats left the state to prevent the House from reaching quorum so the House couldn’t conduct legislative business and pass the redistricting bill, or any other bills. Texas House Democrats fled to California, Illinois, New York and other states with the stated purpose to obstruct state legislative business, prompting Abbott to sue Democratic leaders and call special sessions.
After enough Democrats returned to enable the Texas House to meet quorum, the legislature passed the bill, which Abbott signed into law. Not soon after, six groups sued, led by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), arguing the new map was discriminatory.
The legislature redrew 37 of Texas’ 38 congressional districts after Texas reported record population increases and Republicans made record gains with Hispanic and Black voters in the last two elections, The Center Square reported. The new maps potentially could flip up to five seats held by Democrats to Republican.
One of the bill’s authors, state Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, argued earlier this year that the maps aren’t racist but were drawn along voting patterns and political preferences.
“In contrast to the complications that are involved with race-based redistricting, political performance is really a pretty easy map to draw and it’s absolutely permissible as a basis for drawing electoral districts,” he said. Based on 2024 voting trends, voters in newly drawn districts could elect at least five more Republicans to Texas’ congressional delegation. Currently, it consists of 25 Republicans and 13 Democrats.
“That doesn’t mean [voters] will do that in 2026,” King said. “There are no guarantees. There are competitive districts in here now, more competitive than the current map, and I have no idea who’s going to run for what office.”
LULAC’s president Roman Palomares praised the ruling, referring to it as a “victory for the people of Texas and for every voter who has the right to determine who will govern them and who will shape the laws and policies of this state.”
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.