On Thursday, the Supreme Court intervened to support Texas Republicans by allowing upcoming elections to proceed using the state’s controversial congressional redistricting plan. This plan, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, had faced criticism from a lower court for potentially discriminating based on race.

The high court responded swiftly to Texas’s urgent request for action, as candidate qualifying for the new districts has already commenced, with primary elections scheduled for March.

By issuing this order, the Supreme Court temporarily suspends a previous 2-1 ruling that blocked the map, pending a final decision on the matter. Justice Samuel Alito had earlier placed a temporary hold on the lower court’s ruling while the full Supreme Court reviewed the appeal from Texas.

Such interventions by the justices are not unprecedented; the court has previously halted lower-court decisions in redistricting cases in other states, including Alabama and Louisiana, particularly when elections were imminent.

The congressional map in Texas, established last summer with Trump’s backing, was designed to secure an additional five House seats for Republicans.

The effort to preserve a slim Republican majority in the House in next year’s elections touched off a nationwide redistricting battle.