The fallout from Abbott v. LULAC has been predictable. Critics allege that the Court has now pushed the Purcell principle out even further to the year before the election. Rick Hasen, for example, wrote:

The latest Texas decision now pushes Purcell out even further, to decisions that come down before an election year. This is no longer the "eve of an election" in any meaningful sense.

The Supreme Court stretches the purported disruptive effect of the lower-court decision by saying it came down during "an active primary campaign," but all that means as a practical matter is that the window had opened for candidates to file their intent to run in the March primaries.

Here in Texas, the midterm election will be held in November 2026. But for practical purposes, the key date is March 3, 202

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