Gerrymandering

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? GOP lingo

Rotunda of the Texas Capitol during Friday's late-night session. Photo: Stephen Spillman/AP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) calls the GOP's aggressively gerrymandered new congressional lines, which he says he'll swiftly sign, "One Big Beautiful Map." Go deeper (Texas Tribune).

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Federal judge: Alabama Senate map violates Voting Rights Act

A federal court ruled Friday that Alabama’s current state Senate district map violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, banning voting laws that discriminate based on race.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/08/22/federal-judge-alabama-senate-map-violates-voting-rights-act/?

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Missouri is next to answer Trump’s call for redrawn maps that boost GOP in 2026

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo (AP) — Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe said Friday that he is calling Missouri lawmakers into a special session to redraw the state’s U.S. House districts as part of a growing national battle between Republicans and Democrats seeking an edge in next year’s congressional elections.

https://apnews.com/article/texas-governor-redistricting-trump-33bfdc8790cdf8201d80c8c89258df3d?

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?Next gerrymandering targets

Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images The White House has invited Nebraska state senators to Washington next week, giving Trump political aides the opportunity to discuss mid-cycle redistricting with them, according to people familiar with the matter. ? Why it matters: State by state, district by district, President Trump wants to draw as many new likely GOP seats as possible ahead of the midterm election. Nebraska and Kansas might be next in the gerrymandering line. Three Republicans currently represent Nebraska in the House. But Democrats are favored to pick up one seat in 2026, with the retirement of Rep. Don Bacon from the Omaha-based district. Republicans want to thwart those plans. In neighboring Kansas, a Trump +16 state that has a Democratic governor, there are early conversations about how to gerrymander away the one Democratic House seat. ?What they're saying: "They are chatting about it back home," Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) told us. "I am staying out of that conversation. That's a decision for the state Legislature." "They probably have the veto-proof margin," he said, anticipating a likely veto from Gov. Laura Kelly of a new map. Flashback: When Indiana lawmakers were at the White House last month, Vice President Vance stopped by the meeting. Later, he and Trump discussed with the state House Speaker how to pencil in more likely GOP seats. The Indiana Legislature is poised to approve a map that will include two more GOP-leaning House districts this week if it is called into special session, as is widely expected, this fall. Democrats currently hold two of the state's nine House seats. The big picture: Control of the House next year could be determined by redistricting efforts this year. The White House is aggressively looking to buy some off-year insurance to protect its five-seat majority. The first shots were fired in Texas, with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signing into law a map that will create as many as five new likely Republican seats. In response to the Texas move, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, is taking steps to amend the state's Constitution to redraw the maps next year, which could net his party another five seats. Driving the news: Missouri is up next, with its Legislature moving toward giving Republicans one more likely seat. Trump fully approves. In Ohio, Republicans are eyeing either two or three seats. Florida is expected to draw anywhere from three to five likely GOP seats next year. ? Between the lines: The rules in Nebraska's unicameral Legislature would require a supermajority to draw new congressional districts in the middle of the decade. Republican state lawmakers failed to push through an effort last year to award all of Nebraska's Electoral College votes to the popular vote winner instead of giving one to the winner of each congressional district. "I wouldn't imagine the votes would be that dissimilar to [approve a new map] to congressional boundaries," Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) told us. "We just simply didn't have 33 votes, which is required to overcome cloture." The bottom line: Democrats have decried mid-cycle gerrymandering, but Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland and JB Pritzker of Illinois have indicated they are willing to fight fire with fire. "All options need to be on the table if this is the direction that the country is going to go," Moore said on "Face the Nation" last month. — Hans Nichols

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Missouri Senate passes Trump-backed plan that could help Republicans win an additional US House seat

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Republicans handed President Donald Trump a political victory Friday, giving final legislative approval to a redistricting plan that could help Republicans win an additional U.S. House seat in next year’s elections.

https://apnews.com/article/missouri-redistricting-trump-republicans-a89de205d535c8a8cd6054ed191b161c?

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Redistricting push from DeSantis and Trump creates uncertainty for Florida congressional candidates

Congressional candidates — from the long-time incumbents who seem entrenched in office to the long-shot challengers seeking to replace them — have been strategizing for months, sometimes years. They’ve been raising money, courting grassroots activists, lining up consultants, and figuring out the most promising pockets of support.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/09/13/redistricting-push-from-desantis-and-trump-creates-uncertainty-for-florida-congressional-candiates/?

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North Carolina GOP announce plans to vote on new House map amid nationwide redistricting battle

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican legislative leaders announced plans Monday to vote next week on redrawing the state’s U.S. House district map, taking up President Donald Trump’s call to secure more GOP seats nationwide and resist rival moves by Democrats.

https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-congress-redistricting-house-b32b6b1c52d9f59efac41c3b8c0db971?

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North Carolina adopts new Trump-backed US House districts aimed at gaining a Republican seat

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s Republican legislative leaders completed their remapping of the state’s U.S. House districts on Wednesday, intent on picking up one more seat for President Donald Trump’s push to retain GOP control of Congress in next year’s midterm elections.

https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-congress-redistricting-trump-5dccfdf94253efb56c59bbb3d3e3a6d8?

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Indiana governor calls a special session to redraw US House maps as redistricting battle spreads

The Republican governor of Indiana said Monday he’s scheduling a special session to redraw congressional boundaries after weeks of pressure to back President Donald Trump’s bid to add more winnable seats with midcycle redistricting.

https://apnews.com/article/indiana-redistricting-special-session-braun-63f3447efcc34529dfc363a96a763b6e?

Trump’s redistricting push hits roadblocks in Indiana and Kansas as Republican lawmakers resist

For most of President Donald Trump’s second term, Republicans have bent to his will. But in two Midwestern states, Trump’s plan to maintain control of the U.S. House in next year’s election by having Republicans redraw congressional districts has hit a roadblock.

https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-indiana-kansas-trump-pressure-2026-election-506c874ec90c7f68167e0683b207dc41?

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? New phase on redistricting

Data: Axios research; Map: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was in Illinois today to encourage the state's Democratic lawmakers to squeeze one more blue seat from their heavily gerrymandered map. In Indiana, Republican state lawmakers convened a special session to consider drawing out one — or both — of the remaining House Democrats in their state. In Virginia, Democrats are pitching a victory in next Tuesday's state legislative and gubernatorial elections as an opportunity to draw out two or three of their state's House Republicans. — Andrew Solender

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In a California GOP stronghold, voters are not happy with Newsom’s plan to help Democrats

REDDING, Calif. (AP) — In a stretch of Northern California known for farming, ranching and a rural way of life, residents worry a ballot measure to redraw U.S. House maps is all but certain to dilute what little political power they possess in the heavily Democratic state.

https://apnews.com/article/california-house-gerrymandering-gavin-newsom-trump-2a12e97b48e2b6bdfe6891264756ff9c?

ps:Well what do you know, there are still people with a sense of right and wrong!!!!!

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God’s Chief Justice

In early 2023, Paul Newby, the Republican chief justice of North Carolina’s Supreme Court, gave the state and the nation a demonstration of the stunning and overlooked power of his office. 

https://www.propublica.org/article/paul-newby-north-carolina-supreme-court?

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Ohio panel and Virginia lawmakers move forward with congressional redistricting plans

An Ohio panel adopted new U.S. House districts on Friday that could boost the GOP’s chances of winning two additional seats in next year’s elections and aid President Donald Trump’s efforts to hold on to a slim congressional majority.

https://apnews.com/article/virginia-ohio-congressional-redistricting-trump-midterm-election-6c617a08c84f453eacc1727f9be9ef52?

[bonnie1962]

On 10/30/2025 at 1:34 PM, phkrause said:

In a California GOP stronghold, voters are not happy with Newsom’s plan to help Democrats

REDDING, Calif. (AP) — In a stretch of Northern California known for farming, ranching and a rural way of life, residents worry a ballot measure to redraw U.S. House maps is all but certain to dilute what little political power they possess in the heavily Democratic state.

https://apnews.com/article/california-house-gerrymandering-gavin-newsom-trump-2a12e97b48e2b6bdfe6891264756ff9c?

ps:Well what do you know, there are still people with a sense of right and wrong!!!!!

What do you know,gerrymandering is actually referred to as having a sense of right and wrong!!!!!!!

• Illinois: Democrats drew congressional maps to give themselves a 14-3 advantage over Republicans ^[1]. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has expressed openness to further redistricting efforts ^[2].
• Maryland: Democrats have drawn aggressively gerrymandered maps in this blue state ^[3].
• New Mexico and Oregon: Democrats attempted to engineer electoral advantages through redistricting, though these efforts are described as weaker gerrymanders compared to Republican counterparts ^[1].
• California: Under Governor Gavin Newsom, Democrats are considering drawing new congressional maps that could flip five Republican seats and potentially slash Republican-held districts ^[3] [2].

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Federal judges block Texas from using its new US House map in the 2026 midterms

A federal court on Tuesday blocked Texas from using a redrawn U.S. House map that touched off a nationwide redistricting battle and is a major piece of President Donald Trump’s efforts to preserve a slim Republican majority ahead of the 2026 elections.

https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-texas-map-blocked-lawsuit-trump-ab4dc519717c6661c63e116c9f26d899?

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The obvious next step in the redistricting battle is to produce a map

Show me the map!

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/obvious-next-step-redistricting-battle-produce-map?

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?️ Charted: Redistricting war

Data: Axios research. Chart: Axios Visuals Indiana lawmakers' rejection of a plan to create two more Republican congressional seats yesterday brought more clarity to how the nationwide redistricting war could affect the midterms. Why it matters: Despite their setback in Indiana, Republicans still stand to pick up a few more seats than Democrats in mid-decade redistricting, Axios' Kate Santaliz reports. By the numbers: In the six states where redistricting efforts are essentially locked in — Texas, California, Ohio, Missouri, North Carolina and Utah — Republicans are likely to have a net gain of just one to four seats. That could make a difference come November '26. But it's a much smaller cushion than the White House envisioned when Trump kicked off the redistricting push. ? Gerrymandering efforts sweep nation ... Click here for capsules on redistricting in 17 states: Texas ... California ... Missouri ... North Carolina ... Ohio ... Utah ... Indiana ... Florida ... Virginia ... Louisiana ... Maryland ... Illinois ... Kansas ... New York ... Colorado ... Nebraska ... and Wisconsin.

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Governor calls an April special session on redistricting

Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a proclamation Wednesday calling a special session in April to redistrict Florida’s congressional map, just one month after the regular legislative session is scheduled to end.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/07/governor-calls-an-april-special-session-on-redistricting/?

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Virginia voters approve redistricting plan that could boost Democrats’ seats in Congress

Virginia voters approved a mid-decade redistricting plan Tuesday that could boost Democrats’ chances of winning four additional U.S. House seats in November’s midterm elections that will decide control of the closely divided Congress.

https://apnews.com/article/virginia-redistricting-election-congress-trump-78e0e68100119011b1b439634f6b6fa1?

Virginia voters accept redistricting map that could give Democrats up to four additional House seats in November (More) | What is "cracking and packing" in congressional gerrymandering? (More) 

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🍊 Florida freak-out watch

Florida House Republicans are waving the caution flag on using their state in a last-ditch effort to pull ahead of Democrats in the mid-cycle redistricting race.

Why it matters: Speaker Mike Johnson told us he's "not worried at all" when asked if he's concerned about the GOP's Florida maps blowing up in the party's face.

🍊 But his Florida delegation isn't so sure.

• "I like my lines," Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) told us. She's warning about slipping GOP support among Latinos.
• "I do have some concerns about five," Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) told us, saying she's "very confident" they could squeeze two, maybe three seats from snap redistricting.
• Florida lawmakers will start a delayed special session next week that includes a look at redistricting. But there's opposition in the state Legislature.

🛀 The big picture: The best-case scenario for Republicans now looks more like a wash on redistricting, after months of GOP warnings that redistricting could backfire.

• "t wasn't my decision," NRCC chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) told us today.
• But Democrats now feel overwhelmingly confident they can retake the majority after Virginia further neutralized the GOP's redistricting map last night, on top of California and other gains.

🪑 Between the lines: Four Virginia Republicans will likely lose their seats, with musical chairs over the last red one standing.

• "It's 81% my district," Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) told Punchbowl on the prospect of facing Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va.) in a redrawn southwestern Virginia seat.

Go deeper: Redistricting leaves Republicans worse off

— Kate Santaliz

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🙏 Hope for Dems

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Democrats finally see some light at the end of the tunnel with the success of the Virginia redistricting referendum. 🤺 Why it matters: Last night proved they can deliver the "fighter" mentality their voters have been demanding. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries invested massively in the outcome of that vote. It paid off, with colleagues now comparing him to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Trump and Republicans launched this gerrymandering war, and we've made clear as Democrats that we're going to finish it," Jeffries said today. ‼️ Zoom in: "This is a good moment for Hakeem," a senior House Democrat told us when asked if this addressed concerns about whether Jeffries will be able to emulate Pelosi's trademark ruthlessness. "He is secretly a badass," said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). 🥊 The bottom line: This is much-needed catharsis for Democrats who have felt powerless to meet the base's "fighter" demands and consistently beaten down by Republicans. "FAFO is the feeling," the senior House Democrat told us. — Andrew Solender

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🐊 DeSantis plots redistricting end run

xios' Marc Caputo spoke to 14 Florida lawmakers, lawyers and redistricting experts to unearth how Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to get around a state redistricting law.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has launched a quiet power play to evade Florida law and create more GOP-friendly seats in November.

• Why it matters: Partisan control of Congress could hinge on how — or whether — Florida legislators approve DeSantis' new map of U.S. House districts in a special session next Tuesday.

📣 DeSantis called lawmakers to Tallahassee in light of the nationwide redistricting battle that began when President Trump pressured Republican-led states to create more GOP-leaning House seats.

• After Virginia Democrats got voter approval for a plan to create up to four more Dem-leaning districts this week, DeSantis' effort in Florida became more urgent.
• If it fails, Trump's redistricting gambit could wind up being an advantage for Democrats.

🔎 Zoom in: Axios' interviews reveal how DeSantis could get around Florida's constitution, which expressly bans lawmakers from drawing districts with "the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or an incumbent."

• The key word: "intent." It's what opponents of DeSantis' strategy will need to prove in a trial court if, or when, the legislature passes his map.

DeSantis rejected lawmakers' calls to have an open process and draw the maps during the regular January lawmaking session.

• Instead, he's embarked on a plan to have his office redraw Florida's map, rush the plan through the Legislature — and try to run out the clock on Democratic court challenges as the state gears up for the Nov. 3 elections.

DeSantis' 3-tiered plan.

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Virginia Supreme Court considers whether to block voter-approved US House map favoring Democrats

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Supreme Court justices on Monday questioned whether the state’s Democratic-led legislature complied with constitutional requirements when it sent a congressional redistricting plan to voters, in a case that carries high stakes for the balance of power in the U.S. House.

https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-congress-virginia-court-trump-8b6faf14a1786a3f90cb2d3941e41103?

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Louisiana congressional primaries are suspended as a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana suspended its congressional primaries Thursday as early voting was about to get underway, while pressure mounted on Republican officials in other states to redraw their U.S. House maps in light of a Supreme Court ruling that significantly weakened the Voting Rights Act.

https://apnews.com/article/congress-louisiana-primaries-supreme-court-03cdb6951d7fefb448bfd2f37f98c0ea?

ps:This is why trump is not worried about Republicans losing in November or in 2028!! Because it looks like the SCOTUS is helping with his gerrymandering!!!!!

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🥳 Alabama joins the party

Alabama is falling in line with the White House on mid-cycle redistricting, with Republican Gov. Kay Ivey calling lawmakers back into session to redraw maps if the Supreme Court gives the green light.

• 💬 "I am ensuring Alabama is prepared should the courts act quickly enough to allow Alabama's previously drawn congressional and state Senate maps to be used during this election cycle," Ivey said today.
• Alabama's state primary is scheduled for May 19.

🧭 State of play: In addition to Alabama and Louisiana, Republicans are eyeing two other Southern states — South Carolina and Tennessee — as opportunities to draw more GOP-friendly maps following this week's ruling.

• Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has said his state won't move before 2026 but could act ahead of the 2028 cycle.
• Mississippi and Texas have already held their primaries, making mid-cycle redistricting less likely.

👀 By the numbers: If Republicans take an aggressive approach in Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina and Tennessee, they can potentially pick up six seats that are currently being held by Black lawmakers this cycle.

— Hans Nichols