How the war over US congressional redistricting is playing out, state by state

By Joseph Ax

Feb 4 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's demand that Republican-led states redraw their congressional maps to help his party retain control of Congress in November's midterm elections has triggered a national battle over redistricting.

The fight began when Republicans in Texas, the most populous Republican-led state, approved a rare mid-decade new congressional map aimed at flipping five House seats now occupied by Democrats. California, the most populous Democratic-led state, responded with its own redistricting effort targeting five Republican-held districts. Other states, led both by Republicans and Democrats, have followed suit.

While Republicans initially appeared to hold an advantage, Democratic-led states have narrowed the gap. Republicans won a House majority in 2024 by a margin of only three seats, so every district could prove pivotal. Here is how the conflict is unfolding across the country:

REPUBLICAN GAINS

TEXAS - UP TO FIVE SEATS

The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way in early December for a new Republican-backed map that targets five Democratic-held seats. The court's 6-3 decision, with the three liberals dissenting, overturned a lower court ruling that had concluded the map likely discriminated against minority voters.

Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the map into law in August. Weeks earlier, more than 50 Democratic lawmakers fled the state, temporarily preventing a vote, but ultimately returned. Republicans already control 25 of Texas' 38 seats under a Republican-drawn map from 2021.

MISSOURI - ONE SEAT

Republican Governor Mike Kehoe signed a new map into law in September that dismantled a Democratic-held seat based in Kansas City, giving his party the advantage in seven of the state's eight congressional seats. Opponents are attempting to force a voter referendum on the map, while several organizations have filed lawsuits challenging its legality.

OHIO - ZERO TO THREE SEATS

A quirk in state law required a new map for 2026 because the previous one was approved with no Democratic votes. The state's redistricting commission, which includes five Republicans and two Democrats, unanimously approved a map in October that boosts Republican chances of flipping two Democratic-held seats. Republicans hold 10 of the state's 15 seats.

NORTH CAROLINA - ONE SEAT

The state legislature's Republican majority approved a new map in October designed to flip a Democratic seat, which would give Republicans control of 11 of the state's 14 U.S. House seats despite its status as a divided swing state. Under state law, Democratic Governor Josh Stein had no say in the process.

FLORIDA - POSSIBLY UP TO FIVE SEATS

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has called a special legislative session in late April to take up redistricting, an effort analysts say could take aim at three to five Democratic incumbents.

It is not clear whether there is enough support in the Republican-controlled legislature to redraw the state's U.S. House districts. There are also legal obstacles: any new map would have to overcome a constitutional amendment barring the legislature from drawing districts purely for partisan gain.

Republicans already control 20 of the state's 28 seats, after DeSantis and the legislature passed a favorable map in 2021 that flipped four Democratic seats.

INDIANA - EFFORT FAILED

Indiana's Republican-controlled Senate rejected a new map aimed at flipping the state's only two Democratic House seats, a rare rebuke to Trump from members of his own party. Republicans control seven of the state's nine U.S. House seats.

KANSAS - EFFORT FAILED

Kansas Republicans abandoned a Trump-backed effort to redraw the state's congressional map after the state House speaker, Republican Dan Hawkins, said in January there was not enough support in his chamber to overcome a veto threat from Democratic Governor Laura Kelly. Republicans already hold three of the state's four U.S. House seats.

DEMOCRATIC GAINS

CALIFORNIA - UP TO FIVE SEATS

Voters overwhelmingly approved a new map backed by Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic lawmakers, designed to flip as many as five Republican-held seats, in direct response to Texas. Democrats currently hold 43 of the state's 52 districts.

VIRGINIA - POSSIBLY FOUR SEATS

The Democratic-controlled state legislature in January approved a constitutional amendment that would give lawmakers the power to redraw Virginia's congressional map. The amendment must first pass muster with the state's voters at a special election, likely to be held this spring.

A Virginia judge blocked the effort in late January, however, agreeing with Republicans that the process Democrats used to approve the amendment was not legally valid. Democrats have appealed the decision.

While lawmakers have not yet released a proposed map, Democratic legislative leaders have said they intend to create a 10-1 advantage. Democrats currently hold six of the state's 11 U.S. House seats.

UTAH - ONE SEAT

A state judge threw out a Republican-drawn map as illegally partisan and instead implemented an alternative that is likely to flip one of the state's four Republican-held seats to Democrats.

MARYLAND - EFFORT STALLED

Democrats in the state House advanced a new map on February 2 that targeted the state's only Republican U.S. representative, a move championed by Democratic Governor Wes Moore and national Democratic leaders. Democrats hold seven of the state's eight House districts.

But the state Senate president, Democrat Bill Ferguson, said there is not enough support in his chamber and that he does not plan to hold a vote on the bill, likely dooming the effort.

NEW YORK - POSSIBLY ONE SEAT

A New York judge in January ordered the state's independent redistricting commission to redraw a Republican-held congressional district centered on Staten Island, potentially giving Democrats a chance to flip the seat in November.

Incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis has appealed the ruling, which found the district's current lines unconstitutionally harm minority voters.

Democrats currently hold 19 of the state's 26 seats. Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul has vowed to respond to Texas' new map, but New York law likely makes it impossible to advance a statewide redistricting effort until the 2028 election.