Punchbowl News: “Texas Democrats were ecstatic with the ruling. They’d argued that Texas Republicans had improperly used race as a basis for the new congressional map…”
“Republicans are now placing their hopes in the Supreme Court, which is the last chance to reverse the lower court’s ruling…”
“However, time is running out for Republicans. Texas’ filing period closes Dec. 8, and candidates have been filing under the new map drawn this year. In short, this has created chaos.”
A federal court blocked Texas from using its new congressional map for the 2026 midterms — which created five new likely Republican districts — and ordered the state to use its 2021 map, Punchbowl News reports.
Texas Tribune: “The decision is a major blow for Republicans, in Texas and nationally, who pushed through this unusual mid-decade redistricting at the behest of President Trump…”
“It was not immediately clear if the state still has a legal path to restoring the new map in time for 2026.”
President Trump is set to issue a retributive endorsement against one of a handful Indiana Senate Republicans who opposes the White House’s mid-cycle redistricting plan, Politico reports.
Among the holdouts targeted by the White House: state Sen. Jim Buck (R), who is facing a primary from Tracey Powell.
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An Indiana Senate Republican who President Trump called out in a Truth Social post for not backing the White House’s plan to draw new congressional maps was later targeted by a swatting, Politico reports.
“Indiana, one of the key pieces in Republicans’ national quest to redraw congressional lines, will not redistrict this year, the state senate’s top Republican said. If Indiana takes a pass, it would deny Republicans two new red seats in the Hoosier State,” Punchbowl News reports.
Politico: “In response, Trump’s team has begun summoning Indiana lawmakers to meet with the president in the Oval Office as early as next week.”
“The Justice Department on Thursday joined a Republican-led lawsuit that seeks to block a new Democratic-drawn congressional map in California that voters approved last week,” NBC News reports.
“The redrawn district lines could allow Democrats to pick up an additional five House seats in next year’s midterm elections. The Trump administration’s involvement in the case escalates the battle and adds another political layer to the ongoing redistricting efforts that are playing out across the country.”
“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.
Wall Street Journal: “California’s Proposition 50 appears passed after Newsom and other top Democrats convinced voters that temporarily redrawing congressional maps was the best way to counter Trump. No Democrat has clashed more with the president during Trump’s second term than Newsom, who is considering a run for president in 2028. This victory gives him some momentum as he attempts to claim the party’s leadership mantle.”
“The new maps will likely eliminate five GOP-held congressional seats, a direct response to Texas redrawing its maps in an effort to gain five Republican seats of their own. Other GOP states have followed suit and some Democratic leaders have said they will too.”
“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.
“The honest answer is they could. And that’s why they’re doing it. Because I think that’s the only way they can. I think otherwise we’ll have a 2018 election.”
— Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), quoted by Punchbowl News, on whether Republicans could keep their House majority solely because of newly drawn maps.
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.
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.
Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.
Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.
Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.
Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.
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