Republicans in five states launch mid-decade redistricting wave before 2026

By February 2026, Republicans in five states had enacted mid-decade congressional redistricting maps outside the normal post-census cycle, breaking a longstanding norm against redrawing maps mid-decade. Texas signed new maps in August 2025, Missouri and North Carolina followed in fall 2025, Ohio approved a bipartisan map in October 2025, and Florida completed a special-session redraw in April 2026. The wave was orchestrated with White House support and designed to add Republican-leaning seats ahead of the 2026 midterms.