“A Utah judge on Monday rejected a Republican-passed redistricting plan that created two more-competitive districts in the state — a win for Democrats who thought the map did not go far enough,” Politico reports.

“In denying the new map, the judge put in place one of two options offered by plaintiffs that creates a solidly-Democratic district that covers Salt Lake City, giving the party its second win in the redistricting wars that have swept the nation ahead of the midterms.”

“The Democrats’ thumping victories Tuesday are piling new pressure on blue states to redraw their congressional maps to strengthen the party’s position ahead of the 2026 elections,” Politico reports.

“Already, several states are forging ahead.”

“California state Republicans are planning to take legal action after voters on Tuesday approved Democratic-drawn maps for the next three elections, alleging racism in the way the now-approved districts were redone,” KCRA reports.

Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball: “Following the passage of Proposition 50 in California, we are making a dozen House rating changes, all but one in favor of Democrats.”

“The changes come fairly close to restoring the status quo prior to the start of redistricting, but there are many more dominoes to fall on the gerrymandering front.”

The New York Times runs through the states that might join the early redistricting battle ahead of the midterm elections.

• High probability: Virginia
• Medium probability: Maryland, Indiana, Florida
• Low probability: Illinois, Nebraska, New Hampshire

“California voters approved Proposition 50, a measure that temporarily redraws the state’s congressional maps to put Democrats in a position to flip several seats in the 2026 midterm election,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The proposal, pushed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, is intended to counter President Trump’s effort to draw new congressional maps in other states to increase the number of Republican House seats.”

“Kansas’ Republican House leader on Tuesday dropped efforts to force a redraw of U.S. House districts that would have thrust the state into a widening national battle for partisan advantage in the 2026 elections,” the AP reports.

Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball: “Ohio surprisingly approved a new congressional map late last week in a bipartisan vote.”

“While the map does get better for Republicans, it’s not nearly as bad for Democrats as it could have been, and Democrats still have a path to come out of this election with as many seats as they currently hold in the state.”

“Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) and Greg Landsman (D-OH) see their districts get less Democratic, while Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-OH) sees her district get bluer.”

New York Times: “Redrawing congressional maps ahead of a midterm election to eke out more safe seats before any votes are cast is not part of the ordinary run-up to the midterms. At such a national scale, it is a historic break from decades of settled norms regarding when and how legislative lines are drawn.”

“Yet this midcycle redistricting effort is at the center of Mr. Trump’s strategy to win the midterms and prevent Democratic control of the House of Representatives, which would give Democrats the power to open investigations and thwart the president’s agenda. What began over the summer in Texas, with the drawing of five new Republican-favored seats at Mr. Trump’s behest, has spiraled into a nationwide redistricting arms race.”

“Amid a national redistricting fight, Ohio officials agreed Friday to a new electoral map that boosts Republican odds of winning two more House seats that could help the party retain power in Washington in next year’s congressional elections,” the Washington Post reports.

“The compromise map — crafted by a bipartisan commission — won support from Democrats by granting them a reprieve in one additional House seat that had been under consideration. Because the map received bipartisan support from the commission, it does not need the approval of the Republican-dominated legislature.”

Politico: Republicans notch redistricting win in Ohio — but it could have been worse for Democrats.

“California Governor Gavin Newsom is betting his political future on a controversial ballot measure that would redraw the state’s congressional maps to favor Democrats. A coalition of super wealthy and working people is giving him a big financial advantage,” Bloomberg reports.

“Over the past 11 weeks, Newsom and his allies brought in more than $120 million for Proposition 50, about three times the total raised by the proposal’s opponents.”

“Gov. Wes Moore (D) hinted that he may move ahead with plans to redraw the state’s eight congressional districts, and to call a possible special session, despite opposition from a key lawmaker,” Maryland Matters reports.

“Senate President Bill Ferguson (D), in a letter to Senate Democrats Tuesday, said he opposed mid-cycle redistricting, which he called “too risky” for Democrats who could end up losing a seat in their efforts to redraw congressional districts to gain one.”

Punchbowl News: “This compromise is a shocking development. Ohio’s constitution mandates a complicated redistricting process that includes the commission and the state legislature. The Buckeye State is required to redraw its map for 2026 because it passed in 2021 without bipartisan support.”

“Both parties expected the commission to reach a stalemate and that redistricting would revert back the state’s GOP-controlled legislature.”

“But Democrats were able to successfully leverage the prospect of a referendum campaign. For their part, Republicans dangled the threat of pushing through a less favorable map if Democrats rejected their offer.”

“The Democratic leader of the Maryland Senate on Tuesday sent a letter to dozens of state lawmakers rejecting the party’s effort to redistrict in the state, bucking Democrats’ national effort to redraw congressional lines,” Politico reports.

“Gov. Gavin Newsom signed onto his regular Zoom call with his political brain trust last Friday as they ticked through the latest developments in the high-stakes redistricting measure headed for a vote next week,” the New York Times reports.

“They were far ahead in the polls. The opposition was mostly off the airwaves. And there was plenty of money in the bank.”

“Then, according to two participants in the call who shared details of the private discussion on condition of anonymity, his senior advisers presented the California governor with a peculiar idea: Stop fund-raising from small donors altogether in the final stretch.”

“A lawsuit filed on Monday on behalf of four New Yorkers charges that the state’s congressional map unconstitutionally dilutes Black and Latino votes in a district that covers Staten Island and part of southern Brooklyn,” the New York Times reports.

“The case marked New York’s official entrance into the national gerrymandering arms race. Rewriting the state’s existing congressional districts represents one of Democrats’ best hopes of improving their chances in the 2026 midterm elections.”