Tropical Storm Jerry has formed in the central Atlantic. It’s the tenth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.
What You Need To Know
Tropical Storm Jerry formed in the central Atlantic
It’s expected to strengthen into a hurricane
Jerry likely won’t impact the U.S.
Tropical Storm Jerry has maximum winds of 45 mph and is quickly moving westward at 24 mph. It’s expected to slow down and eventually turn northward during the next couple of days.
Jerry is expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it moves through a favorable environment. Its core will pass near the northern Leeward Islands late Thursday into Friday, bringing the potential for gusty winds and heavy rainfall later this week.
The cone of uncertainty displays where the center of a storm could be located. It does not predict which areas may feel the storm’s impact. Anyone outside but near the cone should be on alert and make storm preparations. Read more about what the cone will display.
Most models show Jerry curving northward into the open Atlantic, potentially heading toward Bermuda.
Spaghetti models or plots show a series of individual computer forecast models together on one map. They are useful to give insight into whether multiple models are in agreement on the path of the storm but they do not address the storm’s forecast intensity, winds, flooding and storm surge potential or other data. Tap here for more details on how to best use these models.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
(Reuters) -A federal appeals court will reconsider its recent decision declaring “plainly unconstitutional” a Louisiana law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in all classrooms of the state’s public schools and universities.
In a brief order, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans said its 17 active judges will sit “en banc” to review the June 20 decision by a unanimous three-judge panel.
That decision was a victory for parents and students who said Louisiana infringed their First Amendment religious rights, and a defeat for Republicans and conservative groups who wanted expressions of faith to be more prominent in society.
In a joint statement, the ACLU and other groups representing the law’s opponents said they remain confident the principles underlying the First Amendment, “which guarantee religious freedom for all students and families, will prevail in the end.”
Spokespeople for Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, both Republicans, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The 5th Circuit is widely considered among the country’s most conservative federal appeals courts, though Democratic presidents appointed two of the three judges who struck down the Louisiana law.
Monday’s order set aside that decision. Oral arguments have not been scheduled.
FAMILIES CLAIMED LAW VIOLATED FIRST AMENDMENT
Louisiana’s law required the display of posters or framed versions of the Ten Commandments in K-12 schools and state-funded colleges.
Displays were to be at least 11 inches by 14 inches, with the Commandments being the “central focus” and printed in a large, easy-to-read font.
Nine families, including clergy, with children in public schools sued, saying the law violated the constitutional prohibition against state establishment of religion.
The law has not taken effect, after being blocked last November by a lower court judge.
Louisiana became the first U.S. state requiring displays of the Ten Commandments since the Supreme Court struck down a similar Kentucky law in 1980.
Arkansas and Texas passed their own laws in 2025 requiring similar displays, prompting lawsuits.
In seeking en banc review, Louisiana and school board defendants said the appeals court panel mistakenly relied on an abandoned Supreme Court precedent.
They also said the panel misapplied that court’s 2022 decision favoring a Washington high school football coach who prayed with players at the 50-yard line after games.
The case is Roake et al v Brumley et al, 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 24-30706.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
A Texas mother who shot her four children over the weekend, killing two of them, faces murder charges, authorities said Sunday.
The 31-year-old mother is being charged with two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Brazoria County Sheriff Bo Stallman told reporters. She is being held on a $14 million bond.
Two of the children, ages 13 and 4, were fatally shot inside a vehicle Saturday. The other children, ages 8 and 9, are in “stable condition” after being flown by a medical helicopter to a Houston-area hospital, Stallman said.
The children’s mother called 911 to alert authorities after the shooting, Stallman said. Authorities recovered a weapon at the scene, he added.
“It is impossible to make sense of a senseless tragedy like this, but we will do everything we can to seek justice for these children,” Stallman said.
The mother is a resident of Montgomery County to the north of Houston, he said.
The shooting took place in Angleton, a city of about 19,500 and which serves as the county seat of Brazoria County. It is located about 45 miles south of Houston.
(Reuters) -Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said on Sunday that President Donald Trump was “ordering 400 members of the Texas National Guard for deployments to Illinois, Oregon, and other locations within the United States.”
In a social media post, Pritzker called on Texas Governor Greg Abbott to “immediately withdraw any support for this decision and refuse to coordinate.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced on Sunday that President Donald Trump will deploy 400 members of the Texas National Guard to Illinois, Oregon and other locations.
The deployment came as protests against federal law enforcement ramp up across the country, particularly in Portland and Chicago.
In the Windy City, multiple people were arrested in recent days for reportedly ramming their vehicles into DHS and ICE agents’ cars.
After announcing Trump’s deployment on X late Sunday, Pritzker wrote that “no officials from the federal government called me directly to discuss or coordinate.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker criticized President Trump’s decision to deploy 400 Texas National Guard troops to Illinois and Oregon.(Getty Images)
“We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion,” the Democratic governor wrote.
“It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops.”
Pritzker also disclosed that he called Texas Governor Greg Abbot to “immediately withdraw any support for this decision and refuse to coordinate.”
Police clash with demonstrators during a protest outside an immigrant processing and detention center on Oct. 3, 2025 in Broadview, Illinois.(Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“There is no reason a President should send military troops into a sovereign state without their knowledge, consent, or cooperation,” the governor added.
“The brave men and women who serve in our national guards must not be used as political props. This is a moment where every American must speak up and help stop this madness.”
In response, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott defended his decision, writing on X that he had “fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officials.”
Law enforcement officers stand in tear gas outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility during a protest on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)(AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
He then added that federal and state leaders must “either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let the Texas Guard do it,” while praising the Guard’s “training, skill and expertise.”
Abbott also noted that thousands of Texas National Guard troops have remained along the southern border to assist with security operations.
In recent days, large numbers of protesters have rioted against immigration enforcement actions across the country. ICE shared a video of a Portland protester being wheeled into custody on Sunday.
ICE shared a video showing a suspect being rolled away on a flatbed cart in Portland, Oregon.(@ICEgov via X)
In Broadview, Illinois, on Friday, more than a dozen people were arrested by federal agents during protests at an ICE processing facility. Agents were seen firing pepper balls, tear gas and rubber bullets to clear crowds.
Our next full moon, and the first one of the astronomical fall, will rise above the horizon late Monday night.
What You Need To Know
October’s full moon is a supermoon and will appear about 30% brighter and 14% larger
It is called the Harvest Moon
Unobstructed views of the horizon allow for best sightings
This full moon is called the Harvest Moon because it is the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox (Sept. 22). What makes this so unique is that between 1970 and 2050, there are only 18 years when the Harvest Moon occurs in October. The last time was in 2020, and the next time will be in 2028.
Historically, it’s called the full Harvest Moon because it provides bright light for several evenings in a row to help farmers gather their crops.
Supermoon
October’s full moon is a supermoon, and according to NASA, it will appear approximately 30% brighter than normal and 14% larger than normal. This is because of the moon’s proximity to Earth. During a supermoon, the full moon is at “perigee,” which means it is at its closest location to Earth all month.
The moon will officially be full at 11:48 p.m. EDT Monday, so you’ll have to stay up late to catch it at its peak. Here’s the forecasted cloud cover.
Cloud cover across the United States expected at midnight on Oct. 7, 2025.
Other names of the moon
There is some discrepancy about the nomenclature of the October full moon. Naming conventions date back to the Native Americans of the northern and eastern United States, who kept track of the seasons.
Here are some other names given to the full October moon:
Hunter’s Moon: This is the traditional time to hunt
Falling Leaves Moon: Name given to express the changing and falling leaves, signaling the onset of fall
Dying Grass Moon: A Gaelic name that signifies the end of the growing season
Drying Rice Moon: A Dakota name given for when rice is harvested and dried
Freezing Moon: A time of the year when the first frost occurs
The best viewing will be after sunset on Monday and early morning on Tuesday. To find the best time to view in your area, check out the moonrise calculator. Be sure to find a place with unobstructed horizon views for the best sights.
The next full moon will be the Beaver Moon, which occurs on Nov. 5, 2025.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
Our next full moon, and the first one of the astronomical fall, will rise above the horizon late tonight.
What You Need To Know
October’s full moon is a supermoon and will appear about 30% brighter and 14% larger
It is called the Harvest Moon
Unobstructed views of the horizon allow for best sightings
This full moon is called the Harvest Moon because it is the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox (Sept. 22). What makes this so unique is that between 1970 and 2050, there are only 18 years when the Harvest Moon occurs in October. The last time was in 2020, and the next time will be in 2028.
Historically, it’s called the full Harvest Moon because it provides bright light for several evenings in a row to help farmers gather their crops.
Supermoon
October’s full moon is a supermoon, and according to NASA, it will appear approximately 30% brighter than normal and 14% larger than normal. This is because of the moon’s proximity to Earth. During a supermoon, the full moon is at “perigee,” which means it is at its closest location to Earth all month.
The moon will officially be full at 11:48 p.m. EDT Monday, so you’ll have to stay up late to catch it at its peak. Here’s the forecasted cloud cover.
Cloud cover across the United States expected at midnight on Oct. 7, 2025.
Other names of the moon
There is some discrepancy about the nomenclature of the October full moon. Naming conventions date back to the Native Americans of the northern and eastern United States, who kept track of the seasons.
Here are some other names given to the full October moon:
Hunter’s Moon: This is the traditional time to hunt
Falling Leaves Moon: Name given to express the changing and falling leaves, signaling the onset of fall
Dying Grass Moon: A Gaelic name that signifies the end of the growing season
Drying Rice Moon: A Dakota name given for when rice is harvested and dried
Freezing Moon: A time of the year when the first frost occurs
The best viewing will be after sunset on Monday and early morning on Tuesday. To find the best time to view in your area, check out the moonrise calculator. Be sure to find a place with unobstructed horizon views for the best sights.
The next full moon will be the Beaver Moon, which occurs on Nov. 5, 2025.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
President Donald Trump’s administration plans to deploy 300 Illinois National Guard troops to the Chicago region for at least 60 days, according to a memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Illinois National Guard leadership and obtained by the Tribune.
In addition, likely hundreds of National Guard members from Texas were preparing to be sent to Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker said late Sunday.
“This evening, President Trump is ordering 400 members of the Texas National Guard for deployments to Illinois, Oregon, and other locations within the United States,” Pritzker said, adding that the Illinois National Guard was informed of the Texas deployments and that no officials from the federal government had called him directly to discuss or coordinate. “We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion. It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops.”
The developments capped a weekend of rapid-fire moves by the Trump administration as it escalated its immigration enforcement actions in Illinois and in Oregon, where Trump moved to send National Guard troops from California to evade a federal judge’s temporary restraining order. Late Sunday, that same judge during an emergency hearing again blocked Trump’s efforts, issuing a ruling to stop the president’s deployment of California National Guard troops to Portland.
In his memo to the Illinois National Guard issued Saturday, Hegseth informed Guard leadership that up to 300 of its members will be called into federal service “effective immediately” for a two-month period.
The president called on guard members to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Protective Service and other federal government personnel “who are performing Federal functions, including the enforcement of Federal law, and to protect Federal property, at locations where violent demonstrations against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur based on current threat assessments and planned operations,” the memo stated.
Much of the historic move to federalize Illinois National Guard troops — over Pritzker’s objections — was laid out by Pritzker on Saturday and was soon defended by the White House, while Democrats slammed it as a power grab by the president to sow fear and division.
Saying the Trump administration issued him an ultimatum to “Call up your troops, or we will,” Pritzker said on Saturday that he would not deploy the state’s National Guard and contended a federal deployment over his objection is illegal. He has also vowed to go to court to stop it, previously citing the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prohibits the military from conducting law enforcement activities on U.S. soil.
A spokesperson for Pritzker said Sunday that the governor has not communicated with Trump administration officials regarding the Illinois deployment.
“The Governor did not receive any calls from any federal officials. The Illinois National Guard communicated to the Department of War that the situation in Illinois does not require the use of the military and, as a result, the Governor opposes the deployment of the National Guard under any status,” the governor’s spokesperson said in an emailed response.
The White House said the troops were needed ostensibly to ensure the safety of federal agents and facilities that are part of Trump’s immigration enforcement surge that has hit the Chicago area for the past month.
The Hegseth memo didn’t specify exactly where the deployments would take place, but said the chief of the National Guard Bureau, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commander of U.S. Northern Command would coordinate details about the mobilization with the Illinois National Guard.
The White House confirmed on Sunday evening that the National Guard troops being called up to the Chicago area would be working without pay until the ongoing federal government shutdown, which began on Wednesday, is resolved.
Trump’s moves in Illinois occurred while Judge Karin Immergut — whom Trump appointed to the U.S. District Court in Oregon — on Saturday night blocked the president’s mobilization of 200 Oregon National Guard members in Portland. On Sunday, Trump sought to circumvent the temporary restraining order in Oregon by federalizing 300 National Guard members from California for deployment in Portland but late Sunday Immergut blocked that move as well.
“How could bringing in federalized National Guard from California not be in direct contravention of the (decision) I issued yesterday?,” Immergut asked a Trump administration lawyer during a hearing on Sunday night.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom had called Trump’s effort to send California troops to Oregon a “breathtaking abuse of power.”
“The Trump Administration is unapologetically attacking the rule of law itself and putting into action their dangerous words — ignoring court orders and treating judges, even those appointed by the President himself, as political opponents,” Newsom said.
Hours later, Pritzker said Trump was trying to do much of the same by likely sending hundreds of Texas National Guard members to Illinois.
“I call on Governor Abbott to immediately withdraw any support for this decision and refuse to coordinate,” Pritzker said of Texas’ Republican governor, who has long bickered with Pritzker. “There is no reason a President should send military troops into a sovereign state without their knowledge, consent, or cooperation.
“The brave men and women who serve in our national guards must not be used as political props. This is a moment where every American must speak up and help stop this madness,” Pritzker said.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul did not have specific plans to file new lawsuits against the Trump administration following news of the Illinois National Guard deployment and the issuance of the Oregon temporary restraining order.
Annie Thompson, a spokesperson for Raoul, said in a statement Sunday that the attorney general “is firmly committed to upholding the Constitution and defending the rule of law.”
“Our office will not hesitate to take legal action in the event of any unlawful deployment anywhere in Illinois,” Thompson said.
A spokesperson for Democratic Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, who filed suit seeking to block the Oregon National Guard deployment, said the office has “been in touch and coordinating” on legal strategy with Raoul’s office.
Rayfield spokesperson Jenny Hansson also said Democratic attorneys general “have been working closely since January to hold the line on this administration.”
Speaking Sunday outside the White House as he prepared for a naval celebration in Norfolk, Virginia, Trump intimated that Pritzker was opposing efforts to bring in the National Guard to Illinois because it would anger opponents of immigration enforcement efforts, adding that protesters in Chicago and Portland are “paid people.”
He also said Pritzker was “afraid for his life,” apparently contending the governor does not want to run afoul of organizations and networks the administration alleges are behind the protests over enhanced immigration enforcement in the Chicago area.
Repeating as he often does basic Chicago police blotter statistics about murders and shootings and lauding his federalization of law enforcement in Washington, D.C., Trump criticized Pritzker, a major critic of the president, for saying “what a wonderful place” Chicago is when “they need help.”
“I believe the politicians are under threat, because there’s no way somebody can say that things are wonderful in Chicago,” Trump said. “There’s no city in the world like that. We’re going to straighten it out. And I think that Pritzker, he’s not a stupid person. I think that Pritzker is afraid for his life.”
Pritzker, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said it was the Trump administration and federal agents participating in the raids who “are the ones that are making it a war zone.”
“They want mayhem on the ground. They want to create the war zone so that they can send in even more troops,” Pritzker said.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Illinois Army National Guard, sought to downplay potential confrontations with the Trump-ordered deployment of Illinois National Guard members.
“So they’ll be homegrown Illinoisans, and they’re our brothers and sisters, our neighbors. I probably served with quite a number of them, certainly the leadership. And, you know, they’ll be home. We’ll welcome them,” Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, said on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.”
“It’s a misuse of the National Guard. They’re not needed, but we’re going to welcome them, because they’re our brothers and sisters, and we’re proud of our National Guard,” she said.
Trump’s National Guard plans also drew opposition from a coalition of business and civic groups.
Troop deployment could harm the “meaningful progress” being made to make Chicago safer by sowing “fear and chaos,” according to a statement from the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago and Civic Federation. The statement touted the work already underway to address violence in the city and described Trump’s plans as a threat to “our businesses’ bottom lines and our reputation.”
In his comments outside the White House, Trump criticized Judge Karin Immergut — whom he appointed to the U.S. District Court in Oregon — for blocking the deployment of Oregon National Guard troops in Portland. Trump did not at that time mention his plans to send California National Guard members to the city.
Immergut said Trump’s basis for deploying the guard in Portland was “simply untethered to the facts” and that historic tradition “boils down to a simple proposition: this is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law.” Allowing the troops to be deployed risk “blurring the line between civil and military federal power — to the detriment of this nation,” Immergut wrote.
Trump acknowledged appointing the judge but said, “I wasn’t served well.”
“Portland is burning to the ground. You have agitators, insurrectionists. All you have to do is look at that, look at the television,” Trump said. “That judge ought to be ashamed.”
Immergut, in the ruling, also noted that “state and local law enforcement will need to expend additional resources to quell increased civil unrest that is likely to result from the Guard’s mobilization.”
In addition to sending guard troops to Washington, Trump previously federalized guard troops in Los Angeles after sporadic anti-ICE protests in June, a move a federal judge said was illegal for domestic law enforcement. That ruling was stayed pending an appeal, and troops have remained deployed in Southern California. Newsom said those are the troops being sent to Oregon. Trump has also announced he was deploying the guard to Memphis with the support of Tennessee GOP Gov. Bill Lee.
Miami moved back to No. 2 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, Texas Tech has its highest ranking since 2008 and Penn State and Texas fell all the way out of the Top 25 for the first time since 2022 after the two top-10 teams lost to unranked opponents.
No. 1 Ohio State was dominant in its win over Minnesota, but its 40 first-place votes were its fewest since ascending to the top five weeks ago. The Hurricanes, who moved ahead of idle Oregon, went from receiving four first-place votes last week to 21 this week after winning at Florida State.
Oregon, which received the other five first-place votes, was followed by idle No. 4 Mississippi and No. 5 Texas A&M. The Aggies hammered Mississippi State and earned their highest ranking since Jimbo Fisher’s 2021 team was No. 5 in early September.
Texas was the AP’s presesason No. 1 team and Penn State was No. 2. Both are now out of the rankings.
Penn State took one of the biggest falls in the 99-year history of the poll for its loss at previously winless UCLA a week after the Bruins fired their coach. The Nittany Lions had slipped from No. 2 to No. 7 following their loss to Oregon. They went to UCLA as 24.5-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, and lost 42-37. Penn State is unranked for the first time since September 2022.
The plunge out of the Top 25 matched 1959 Oklahoma for second-biggest drop out of the rankings, not counting preseason polls or the 2020 pandemic season. The ’59 Sooners went from No. 2 to out of the Top 20 after losing their opener to Northwestern.
Before Sunday, the last time two top-10 teams fell out of the poll the same week was Sept. 16, 1986, when it happened to No. 8 Tennessee and No. 10 Ohio State.
— No. 23 Memphis, four spots out of the Top 25 a week ago, is in for the first time since it was No. 24 in the final poll last season. The Tigers are out to their best start since 2015 and the first team to be 6-0, making them bowl-eligible for the 12th straight year.
— No. 24 South Florida (4-1) has won two straight since its lopsided loss at Miami and is back after a one-month absence.
— Penn State (7) and Texas (9) dropped out.
__ Ohio State’s 40 first-place votes are fewest for a No. 1 team since Alabama also got 40 in the poll Sept. 29, 2024.
__ Miami’s No. 2 ranking is its highest in an October poll since 2003.
__ The teams ranked Nos. 14-19 — Missouri, Michigan, Notre Dame, Illinois, BYU and Virginia — each received five-spot promotions, biggest of the week.
SEC (9) — Nos. 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 20.
Big Ten (5) — Nos. 1, 3, 7, 15, 17.
Big 12 (4) — Nos. 9, 18, 21, 22.
ACC (4) — Nos. 2, 13, 19, 25.
American (2) — Nos. 23, 24.
Independent (1) — No. 16.
— No. 1 Ohio State (5-0) at No. 17 Illinois (5-1): This is the first meeting since 2017 and first Top 25 matchup since 2001. The Buckeyes have won nine straight in the series and haven’t lost in Champaign since 1991. The lone blemish for the Illini was a blowout loss at Indiana.
— No. 7 Indiana (5-0) at No. 3 Oregon (5-0): The Hoosiers didn’t have to play Oregon last year, the Ducks’ first in the Big Ten. Indiana is 0-2 against top-five opponents under second-year coach Curt Cignetti.
— No. 8 Alabama (4-1) at No. 14 Missouri (5-0): The Crimson Tide beat the Tigers 34-0 in Tuscaloosa last year, are on a four-game win streak and looking to knock off a third straight ranked opponent. Huge opportunity here for Missouri for a marquee win in the chase for the SEC title and College Football Playoff seeding.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 04: Kanye Clark #1 of the UCLA Bruins reacts after the game against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl Stadium on October 04, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Luke Hales
Getty Images
RALEIGH
The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll once again is expected to see more major shifts in the rankings this week after a chaotic weekend of college football.
First things first: It’s time to admit Texas and Penn State were over-ranked all season, and, until they prove themselves, neither team should sniff the top 15 — much less top 10.
The Nittany Lions (3-2) picked up their second loss of the season after falling to previously winless UCLA (1-4), 42-37, in Pasadena, California. The Bruins, who fired their head coach after three games, upset the 7th-ranked team in the nation. Penn State trailed 27-7 at halftime before attempting to come back in the second half.
UCLA entered the game as a 25.5-point underdog. It finished as the first team in 40 years to start 0-4 or worse and beat a top-10 team, according to Sportradar. Texas-El Paso was the most recent team to achieve the feat, beating then-No. 7 BYU in 1985.
Penn State, which snapped its streak of 34 straight wins against unranked teams, undoubtedly should join UCLA outside the AP Top 25 based on its strength of record.
Texas also slipped to 3-2 after it lost to Florida, 29-21, in Gainesville, after a gritty win by the Gators (2-3). UF’s defense held the Longhorns to 52 yards rushing, and Texas QB Arch Manning passed for 289 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked six times.
Coming off a bye, DJ Lagway put together his best performance of the year and threw for a season-high 289 yards and two touchdowns. Dallas Wilson made both scoring catches in his freshman debut. Jadan Baugh rushed for 107 yards and one score.
The Longhorns looked shaky in their wins over San Jose State and UTEP. Their 14-7 Week 1 loss to Ohio State in Columbus is really the only saving grace, though their strength of record was 48 before the loss. If Texas doesn’t drop out completely, it’ll be lucky to be ranked higher than 20.
Penn State and Texas are the only ranked teams without a win over a Power Four opponent.
After starting the season 5-0, No. 14 Iowa State lost at unranked Cincinnati (4-1), 38-30, Saturday. The Cyclones missed 16 players in the game, and the Bearcats capitalized by building a 31-point first half lead.
Iowa State’s defense, which was missing two All-Big 12 defensive backs, could not control the run and gave up a season-high 260 yards on the ground.
This was a key win for the Bearcats more than it was a bad loss for the Cyclones. Iowa State may stay ranked, while Cincy — with a win over Kansas and a three-point loss to Nebraska, another team knocking on the door of the poll — could sneak in toward the bottom.
No. 6 Texas A&M (5-0) beat a solid Mississippi State (4-2) after a somewhat slow start. They led 7-3 at halftime but put together a 17-point fourth quarter to pull away.
KC Concepcion, the former NC State receiver, hauled in two scoring receptions to end the first half and begin the second.
The Aggies have an argument to leapfrog some teams in the rankings after their 31-9 win.
No. 10 Alabama will likely move up a spot or two after it defeated No. 16 Vanderbilt in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide (4-1) used a 14-point second quarter and 10-point fourth quarter en route to its 30-14 victory.
Ty Simpson threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns, while Jam Miller ran for 136 yards and found the end zone once. They helped lead Alabama to the second straight win over a top-20 team.
The Commodores moved to 5-1 on the season after the loss. They will likely drop a couple of spots but will probably stay ranked
Teams ranked 19-25 were either on a bye this week or won their respective games, including Michigan, Notre Dame and Virginia. They could move up after the two top 10 collapses and a possible slip by Vandy.
No. 3 Miami (5-0) escaped a late-game scare against No. 18 Florida State (3-2) after giving up 19 fourth-quarter points. The Hurricanes defeated the Seminoles, 28-22, in Tallahassee. FSU scored a field goal on its opening drive before Miami’s defense recorded stops on seven straight drives.
Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Hurricanes, led by Carson Beck’s clean game, found the end zone after the changes of possession.
Expect Miami to stay put in the top 5. With No. 1 Ohio State (5-0) blowing out Minnesota and No. 5 Oklahoma (5-0) shutting out Kent State, numbers support the Hurricanes to remain at No. 3. Ole Miss (5-0) and Oregon (5-0) were both on byes.
Meanwhile, Florida State will likely take a dip after starting its ACC schedule 0-2. Its win over Alabama and the losses coming by one possession to now-ranked teams are doing a lot of heavy lifting.
Memphis is another team that could sneak into the poll. The Tigers are 6-0 with a Power Four win over Arkansas and a blowout victory over Tulsa.
If Cincinnati is a contender to be ranked, Nebraska is, as well. The Cornhuskers (4-1) defeated Michigan State, 38-27, for their second Power Four victory. Their lone loss was by three points to a ranked Michigan (4-1).
Last week’s AP Top 25 poll
This story was originally published October 5, 2025 at 11:00 AM.
“Every day, you see (MacKinnon) do 10-12 things that are like, ‘Holy (expletive),’” Burns, a veteran defenseman who came over from Carolina, cackled. “And usually I’m at the wrong end of it. So it’s not good.”
Practice had just ended. MacKinnon’s skates were inside his locker. The rest of him was gone. Grinding.
“Working out,” an Avs staffer told me.
Twenty minutes became 25.
“He’s riding the bike now,” another staffer said. “Will be a bit of time.”
Twenty-five minutes became 30.
Then 35. Then 40. Then 45.
My phone buzzed.
“He’s on the way,” a voice said.
Think this man is easing up at age 30? Think he’s satisfied with one Stanley Cup?
You must be joking.
“I enjoy the day-to-day grind of it,” the Avs’ iconic center explained. “I enjoy working out. I enjoy skating with guys back home — just relaxing and working hard and trying to get better. So that kind of keeps me in the moment. ”
The rocket never rests. MacKinnon stands 6-foot in socks. But if carrying the Avs on his back, if dragging them kicking and screaming, gets Colorado another Stanley Cup in 2026, he’s good with that, too. Hop on.
“Just trying to get my mind and body ready for a long season,” MacKinnon continued. “Each day I come here, I’m just trying to get a little better. Just try to win every day I have. And hopefully that takes me and the team to a good spot.”
He’s in a better place than last May. That’s when old friend Mikko Rantanen, in what we hope doesn’t become a recurring theme, tore into MacKinnon’s chest and ripped his heart out. Rantanen, a stalwart of the Avs’ 2022 Cup champs, scored a hat trick to lead his new team, the Dallas Stars, to a maddening, series-clinching Game 7 win over his old one.
“It’s like getting over a breakup,” MacKinnon said of last season’s ignominious end. “It just takes a long time. Time heals everything.”
Including the Avs. Last spring’s wounds are this fall’s scars. Last October’s concerns are this year’s colonnades.
“I think when you all lose together, you’re in a painful experience together, I think you can come out of it stronger,” MacKinnon said of the Avs’ first-round elimination by a depleted Stars roster. “No one (in this locker room) was blaming each other; it was all on each other. I think it was a tough loss. We lost to a really good team. But I think we’ll be better because of it.”
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) takes the puck down ice against Dallas Stars center Mikael Granlund (64) and Esa Lindell (23) in the first period of game four of the first round of the NHL playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
One Cup? For Nate, it’s not enough. It was never enough.
Mighty MacK’s good pal Sidney Crosby went seven years between championships. Colorado’s Burgundy Bolide turned 30 on Sept. 1. Father Time is the only dude MacKinnon can’t beat to the goal line.
“This is our fourth year (since 2022), so you just never know when it’s going to come,” the Avs center mused. “It’s just … sometimes, you win a couple in a row. Sometimes, it took (the Penguins) seven. And (then) they won two in a row. Hopefully, that happens for us one day. But I like where we’re at.”
Enter Burns. Enter Olofsson. Enter new assistant coach Dave Hakstol to help put some pep back into Colorado’s special teams. The Avs’ power play buzzsaw of the ’22 postseason was positively toothless in ’25 against the Stars.
“It’s not a ton of turnover, like last season (when) we had like nine new guys,” MacKinnon said. “Most of those guys are back. So I think it’s going to be a positive year — positive that we have so many returning guys.”
The negative? Landy turns 33 in November. Val turns 31 in March. Nelson’s 34th birthday falls on Oct. 15. Burns is lurching toward 41.
There’s a lot of mileage in that locker room. And an awful lot of tread worn off an awful lot of tires.
“I won’t look at Nate any differently if he wins one (Cup) or if he wins three,” Eddie Olczyk, the Warner Bros. Discovery and TNT analyst, told me by phone. “He’s won. He’s separated himself from many, many great players who have played this game.
“In terms of game-breakers and difference-makers, (the Avs) have two of the very best at different positions in (MacKinnon) and (defenseman) Cale Makar. But you need to stay healthy.”
Fortunately, the big 3-0 for Big Nate is no big deal. Like traffic on South Broadway and snow at Wolf Peak, MacKinnon’s wheels feel eternal.
Last spring, No. 29 became the first Avs player to post three consecutive seasons of 100 points or more, and the first in Colorado/Quebec annals since Peter Stastny pulled it off six times from 1980-86. MacKinnon is 33 goals away from 400 for his career.
During that ill-fated Stars series, MacKinnon took things as far as he could. His scoring clip of a goal per game was a new postseason high over nine different Cup runs. His 1.57 points per tilt were the most he’d produced in the playoffs since the 2020 COVID-19 bubble (1.67).
The problem? MacKinnon was a one-man wolf pack. No. 29 accounted for seven of Colorado’s 24 goals that series. The next-closest scorers were Artturi Lehkonen and Nichushkin, with three apiece. Coach Jared Bednar got juice from his top line and from his fourth — get well, Logan O’Connor — but the middle six vanished.
Dallas, meanwhile, eliminated the Avs minus the services of top defenseman Miro Heiskanen or forward Jason Robertson. Could you imagine Colorado knocking out a top-4 seed without Makar or MacKinnon?
“They (were) missing their best (defender) and maybe their best forward,” a crestfallen MacKinnon had said in Texas. “We still couldn’t beat them. I don’t know what we’re going to do.”
He knows now.
“Yeah, obviously, it was (emotional),” MacKinnon said. “Hopefully, we are better next spring. But we’ve got a lot of hockey before that.
“It was heartbreaking. It was definitely the most tough loss of my career. By a mile.”
The best revenge is living well, Lord Stanley cradled in your loving arms. Payback’s a stitch. And Hell hath no fury like a Nathan scorned.
Colorado Avalanche Nathan MacKinnon, right, and Gabriel Landeskog answer questions from reporters at Ball Arena in Denver on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Our country has generally worked to help create a more peaceful world.
Sipa USA
Different focus
With the name change from the Department of Defense to the Department of War, the United States is now promoting and declaring that war is acceptable. This goes against what we honor and recognize in the world. We are accepting the killing of our fellow human beings.
Why don’t we instead change the name to the Department of Peace? This would promote conflict resolution through negotiation. It would emphasize that all conflicts can have a nonviolent resolution where all parties express their needs and ensures those needs are met.
We have generally worked to help create a more peaceful world. Why do we now want to tell the world that war is a priority? Working together with respect, dignity and kindness would help create a better world.
– Leonard Ellis,Arlington
Animal cruelty
It is shocking that there is a Texas school with so little supervision that a teacher could feed live kittens to a snake and let children know about it. (Oct. 1, 6A, “North Texas teacher apologizes for feeding live kitten to snake in classroom”) That teacher should not only be fired, she should also be barred from teaching. She should receive a financial penalty and jail time.
– Frankie Andrew,Willow Park
Ultimate sacrifice
In his Oct. 1 column, Bradford William Davis wrote that President Donald Trump aims to silence his opponents. (11A, “Jimmy Kimmel is back on ABC, but Trump still threatens free speech”) Everyone seems to forget that the Biden administration pressured social media to silence and ban people who questioned the origins of COVID-19 or the effectiveness of the vaccine. Military members lost their jobs for refusing the vaccine.
Jimmy Kimmel’s show was preempted because of his egregious lie about Charlie Kirk’s assassin. Kimmel did not give those opposing his political views a voice on his show, unlike Kirk, who encouraged dialogue with people who disagreed with him. It is heartbreaking that so many on the left are outraged by Kimmel’s suspension but are unable to feel the same over a young man who paid the ultimate sacrifice for his freedom of speech.
– Gena Himes,Fort Worth
Partisan respect
President Donald Trump’s governing imbalance is demonstrated by his failure to respectfully respond when Minnesota legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband were assassinated. Flags were not flown at half staff. He did not attend the memorial service.
Compare those abhorrent governing decisions with Trump’s overflowing respect and adulation for Charlie Kirk. He and several government officials flew to Arizona to attend a five-hour memorial service, where Trump spoke profusely about Kirk and hailed him as a martyr.
How can Americans be expected to move past the hatred and animosity for opposing political perspectives when the president governs by playing sides?
ANGLETON, Texas (AP) — Two children were killed and two more were critically injured in a shooting early Saturday near the Houston suburb of Angleton, Texas, authorities said.
The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that deputies responded to reports of the shooting and found two children, ages 13 and 4, fatally shot. Two other children, ages 8 and 9, were flown by medical helicopter to a hospital and were in critical condition.
All people believed to be involved in the shooting have been detained, the sheriff’s office said.
“There is no ongoing threat to the community,” according to the Facebook post. Officials offered no other details about where the shooting took place or the circumstances to that led up to the shooting.
Phone and email messages left for several spokespersons for the county were not immediately returned.
“While details are still developing, the loss of two children in such a manner is a tragedy,” the sheriff’s office wrote in the post. “Our thoughts are with the family and everyone affected as we continue to learn more about this heartbreaking situation.”
Angleton is a city of about 19,500 and is the county seat of Brazoria County. It is located about 45 miles (72 kilometers) south of Houston and is within the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An embattled figure in Native American politics has resigned as chairman of the All Pueblo Council of Governors and ended his outside consulting work for the state of New Mexico days after he was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Records obtained by The Associated Press show James Mountain submitted his resignation letter Tuesday to the council, a prominent advocacy group for 19 Native American communities in New Mexico and another in Texas. He noted it was effective immediately.
Also on Tuesday, Mountain terminated his work as a contract adviser to the state Indian Affairs Department, said Jodi McGinnis Porter, a spokesperson for New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Pojoaque Pueblo police arrested Mountain a week ago on suspicion of driving while intoxicated at a tribal casino. He was held over the weekend at a Santa Fe County jail after declining a field sobriety test, according to an online booking log and the Pojoaque Pueblo Tribal Court.
The Associated Press left email and phone messages for Mountain on Friday seeking comment. The AP also left messages with the All Pueblo Council of Governors. The council’s website still listed Mountain as chairman Friday.
It was unclear Friday whether Mountain has been formally charged, though the Pojoaque Pueblo court says an arraignment has been scheduled next week. The AP submitted a request for detailed judicial records to the court for a judge to consider.
Mountain’s 2023 appointment as cabinet secretary to the New Mexico Department of Indian Affairs under Lujan Grisham angered Native American advocates who work to address violence and missing persons cases within their communities.
They pointed to past sexual assault charges against Mountain, while Lujan Grisham’s office emphasized that charges against Mountain were dismissed in 2010 after prosecutors said they didn’t have enough evidence to go to trial — and urged those raising concerns about his past to “respect the judicial process.”
Lujan Grisham also had highlighted Mountain’s leadership at San Ildefonso Pueblo as the tribe’s governor, and his expertise in state and tribal relations. But the state Senate confirmation process for Mountain stalled, and he left the cabinet post after serving less than a year to work as Lujan Grisham’s senior policy adviser for tribal affairs.
Mountain left direct state government employment at the end of March, but he settled into similar role as a contract adviser — until Tuesday’s contract termination, McGinnis Porter said.
Mountain served as governor at San Ildefonso Pueblo from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2015 to 2017. He oversaw the completion of the Aamodt Water Settlement, concerning the pueblo’s water rights, and the Indian Land Claims Settlement in 2006. He also ran his own state-tribal affairs consulting firm in recent years.
Associated Press writer Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa‘s largest school district said they filed a lawsuit Friday against the consulting company it hired to identify superintendent candidates, alleging it did not properly vet Ian Roberts, who was arrested by immigration authorities last week.
Des Moines Public Schools hired JG Consulting in 2022 to facilitate the leadership search, which led to the hiring of Roberts the following year.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements officials have said the Guyana native was in the U.S. illegally and had no work authorization. Federal prosecutors charged Roberts on Thursday with possessing four firearms while in the U.S. illegally, including one authorities said was wrapped in a towel inside the Jeep Cherokee he was driving when agents pulled him over, according to court filings.
The district’s complaint accused the search firm of breach of contract and negligence, and school board chair Jackie Norris said the focus is on recouping taxpayer dollars and addressing reputational damage.
“The firm failed its duty to properly vet candidates. Ian Roberts should have never been presented as a finalist,” Norris said. “If we knew what we knew now, he would never have been hired.”
James Guerra, president and CEO of Texas-based JG Consulting, did not immediately respond to phone calls or messages seeking comment Friday. A phone call to JG Consulting’s customer service line went unanswered.
The arrest of Roberts after he ran from a traffic stop has shocked and confused the community. Students have walked out of their classrooms in protest. Community members have gathered to pose questions to Roberts’ lawyers, trying to reconcile the vibrant man who engaged with students and staff with the man at the center of a scandal that has grabbed national attention. The Des Moines school board has said it was “a victim of deception” throughout his tenure.
Roberts, who is in federal custody in Des Moines, resigned as superintendent this week after a state education board revoked his license.
Federal authorities said Roberts had a final removal order that was issued last year, and an immigration judge denied a motion to reopen Roberts’ immigration case this April. Roberts’ attorney, Alfredo Parrish, has said Roberts was under the impression from a prior attorney that his immigration case was “resolved successfully.”
The contract between the district and JG Consulting, which has long been available on the district’s website, said the company was responsible for advertising, recruitment, application and resume review, public domain search and complete reference checks, as well as the presentation of qualified candidates.
Roberts has two decades of experience in education and used a doctorate title well before earning a doctoral degree from Trident University International in 2021.
Roberts falsely claimed on a resume he submitted with his application that he earned a doctorate in urban educational leadership from Morgan State University in 2007, according to documents The Associated Press obtained through a public records request.
Although Roberts was enrolled in that doctorate program from 2002 to 2007, the school’s public relations office confirmed in an email that he didn’t receive that degree. A background check during the hiring process said the same, flagging the discrepancy with the resume, according to the district.
The district said the full school board only saw a resume that was revised to indicate he had not completed his dissertation, which is necessary for the degree. But the board did have access to the background check alerting members to the initial variance.
The consulting company was required to bring all information, positive or negative, to the board’s attention but failed to do so, Norris said. “This is about accountability.”
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Austin, Texas — Fourth and fifth graders at Alpha School in Austin, Texas, aren’t just learning — they’re pioneering education’s new frontier. Every click and every keystroke is guided by artificial intelligence.
Students spend only two hours in the morning on science, math and reading, working at their own speed using personalized, AI-driven software.
Adults in the classroom are called guides, not teachers, and earn six-figure salaries. Their job is to encourage and motivate.
When asked if an algorithm replaces the expertise of a teacher, guide Luke Phillips said, “I don’t think it’s replacing, I think it’s just working in tandem.”
Afternoons at the school are different. Students tackle projects, learn financial literacy and public speaking — life skills that founder MacKenzie Price says are invaluable.
“There is such a huge advantage when students can be met at the level and pace of learning that is right for them,” Phillips said.
Price was not an educator before starting the school in 2014. There are now 16 campuses with support from big backers. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited last month.
When asked about concerns over turning learning over to a laptop, Price said, “So our guides are not teaching academic content, but they are connecting. In fact, every week, every one of our students get 30 minutes of one-on-one concentrated time with their guides, and during the workshops in the afternoons, they are connecting and interacting in a group experience.”
That progress isn’t cheap. Tuition at Austin’s Alpha School starts at $40,000 a year.
“We recognize that there is a huge mountain of challenges that come in a large public [school] system, so what I hope that Alpha can be is an example, an inspiration and help families understand that this model of education is something that can work,” Price said.
While the school says its students test in the top 1% on standardized assessments, AI models have been met with skepticism by educators who say they’re unproven. Though there’s no dispute it is engaging students like Smith Adreon, who calls the program “amazing.”
Janet Shamlian is a CBS News correspondent based in Houston, Texas. In a career that spans three decades, Shamlian has covered many of the biggest national and international stories of our time.
McALLEN, Texas (AP) — The federal government is expected to again accept new applications for a program that grants some people without legal immigration status the ability to live and work in the United States.
Lawyers for the federal government and immigrant advocates have presented plans before a federal judge that would open the door again to accepting applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, otherwise known as DACA.
One state — Texas, where the case is being heard — however, would be exempted from providing work permits.
It’s estimated that hundreds of thousands of people could be eligible to be enrolled in DACA, once a federal judge issues an order to formalize plans laid out by the Department of Justice in a legal filing made on Monday. The program, created under the Obama administration, grants people without legal immigration status who were brought into the country by their parents two-year, renewable permits to live and work in the U.S. legally.
The program has allowed people who were brought to the United States as children to temporarily remain in the country and obtain work permits. It does not confer legal status but provides protection from deportation.
Eligibility requirements include people who entered the country as children before their 16th birthday, were under 31 years old as of June 15, 2012, and have not been convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, or three misdemeanors. There would be restrictions related to work permits for those who reside in Texas, which filed a lawsuit against the DACA program in 2018.
DOJ attorneys laid out the proposal before U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen on Monday as part of the ongoing Texas lawsuit. It would allow U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to take new and renewal applications for DACA across the country, which it has not done for four years.
In Texas, USCIS would take new and renewal applications for the DACA program but recipients residing in the state will not receive a work permit.
Attorneys representing DACA recipients proposed adding a wind-down period that would allow Texas residents to keep their work authorization for one more renewal period.
These proposals follow an earlier decision from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowing the program to continue with the work permit carveout in Texas.
The federal government and attorneys for DACA recipients have two more opportunities in October to file responses to the proposals submitted this week. Hanen, based in Houston, will then decide what proposal or combination of proposals to implement in his order.
Immigrant advocates are not celebrating yet but believe thousands may be eligible for the program. Aside from the over 533,000 who are enrolled already in DACA, about 1.1 million people may be eligible across the country, according to a 2023 estimate from the Migration Policy Institute.
People interested in applying were urged to start preparing. “While we are still waiting for an official decision, we believe our communities and families should be prepared and begin gathering the required documents,” Michelle Celleri, Legal Rights Director for Alliance San Diego, said in a statement.
Other advocates are cautiously optimistic. Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, a spokesperson for United We Dream, pointed to a section in the government’s proposal that could hint at changes. “These proposals do not limit DHS from undertaking any future lawful changes to DACA,” the government’s proposal said in Monday’s filing.
“We need to be able to look at this in a fuller picture than just this case, because we’re seeing the administration detain and deport DACA recipients,” Macedo do Nascimento said on Wednesday.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
22 people found dead in Houston-area bayous this year – CBS News
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Officials say six bodies have been found in Houston’s bayous in just two weeks. Records show at least 22 bodies found in Houston bayous so far this year. CBS News national reporter Karen Hua has more details.
A panel of federal judges will begin Wednesday to consider whether Texas can use a redrawn congressional map that boosts Republicans and has launched a widening redistricting battle ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The case in an El Paso courtroom is the first test of Texas’ new map, which was quickly redrawn this summer to give Republicans five more seats at the urging of President Donald Trump in an effort to preserve the slim Republican U.S. House majority.
Civil rights groups and dozens of Black and Hispanic voters joined the lawsuit, saying the new map intentionally reduces minority voters’ influence. Their lawsuit argues that the new district lines represent racial gerrymandering prohibited by the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution.
Texas Republican lawmakers and state leaders deny these claims, saying the map is a legal partisan gerrymander.
The hearing is expected to last more than a week. It is unclear how quickly the judges will issue a ruling.
The new map eliminated five of the state’s nine “coalition” districts, where no minority group has a majority but together they outnumber non-Hispanic white voters.
“Race and party have folded onto each other,” said Keith Gaddie, a Texas Christian University political science professor who has testified as an expert witness in redistricting cases over the past 25 years. “What could be seen as being racial gerrymandering could just be partisan gerrymandering.”
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that the U.S. Constitution does not prohibit partisan gerrymandering.
Texas says critics cloak partisan fears in rhetoric about race
The new Texas map is designed to give Republicans 30 of the state’s 38 House seats, up from 25 now.
The state’s attorneys argue that Texas officials’ persistent statements about their partisan motives show they weren’t engaged in illegal racial gerrymandering but were in a “political arms-race,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office said in a recent court filing.
The move in Texas has subsequently led some other states — Republican-led as well as those led by Democrats — to respond with some redistricting plans of their own in a scramble to try to dominate the midterm elections.
In court filings, Paxton’s office argued that Republicans are offsetting past Democratic gerrymanders, and the Texas map’s critics “seek to use race as a foil to kneecap Texas’s efforts to even the playing field.”
“Whenever they do not get what they want, they cry racism,” its filing said.
Making a case involves detailed election analysis
The case will be heard by a panel of three judges, one each appointed by Trump, and Presidents Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan.
Attorneys for groups and voters challenging the map aim to show that a trial is likely to prove the new lines deny minority voters opportunities to elect candidates of their choosing.
“States have to follow rules when they redistrict,” said Nina Perales, an attorney representing some the voters and groups, including the League of United Latin American Citizens. “They provide essentially the buffer guards to protect the democratic process.”
The judges are likely to hear a detailed analysis of voting patterns.
“The minority community has to be what’s called politically cohesive, which tends to mean that members of that community overwhelmingly tend to prefer the same candidates in elections,” said Richard Pildes, a constitutional law professor at New York University.
Critics see new, ‘sham’ minority districts
The new map decreased the total number of congressional districts in which minorities comprise a majority of voting-age citizens from 16 to 14.
Republicans argue the map is better for minority voters. While five “coalition” districts are eliminated, there’s a new, eighth Hispanic-majority district, and two new Black-majority districts.
Critics consider each of those new districts a “sham,” arguing that the majority is so slim that white voters, who tend to turn out in larger percentages, will control election results.
“There is growing animus against African-American and other communities who have historically been disenfranchised,” said Derrick Johnson, the NAACP’s national president. “This is consistent with the current climate and culture germinating from the White House.”
Critics also argued that the 2021 map itself didn’t have enough minority districts. For example, Perales said, Houston has enough Hispanic voters for two such districts, and the new map has one.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
