Republicans in 5 states launched mid-decade redistricting to redraw maps before 2026
MainBeginning in July 2025, Trump pushed Republican-controlled states to redraw their congressional maps between decennial censuses — a practice that last happened in 2003, under House Majority Leader Tom DeLay in Texas. Texas responded by redrawing maps that could give Republicans five additional House seats. North Carolina and Missouri followed, each targeting a Democratic-held district. California countered with Proposition 50, approved by voters in November 2025, redrawing maps that could flip five Republican seats. Virginia Democrats proposed bypassing the state's independent commission. Indiana's Republican-dominated Senate defied Trump, voting 31-19 to reject redistricting — with 21 GOP senators joining all Democrats. The Supreme Court allowed both the Texas map (despite a lower court finding probable racial gerrymandering) and California's map to proceed. Republicans projected nine additional seats from their efforts; Democrats projected six. No sitting president had ever pushed multiple states to simultaneously redraw districts for the explicit purpose of protecting a congressional majority.
