Just a few tidbits from the news...

Texas Congressional Democrats have been meeting with the Justice Department to argue that the new map violates the Voting Rights Act. As we know, Justice Department approval is necessary for the new map to take effect.

A federal judge has set December 8 as the trial date for the various lawsuits. A pretrial hearing is being held today to see about combining the existing lawsuits (the League of United Latin American Citizens has filed the most recent) into one. The Washington Post has some historical background.

In the "why should this be any different? department, Democrats and Republicans are arguing about whether the new map can be implemented in 2004 regardless of the outcome of the Justice review and the federal lawsuits.

None of this has stopped the flood of candidates announcing for various US and State House seats. The Quorum Report has a number of such items, and the Austin Chronicle has more.

Thanks to Save Texas Reps for various links.