Trump urged mid-decade redistricting. One-third of states have now looked at reshaping House seats

By DAVID A. LIEB, Associated Press

Republican and Democratic officials in about one-third of the states have considered revising their U.S. House districts since President Donald Trump began pushing for remapping as a means of boosting the chances of Republican candidates in this year’s midterm elections.

New congressional districts already have been adopted in six states by legislative action, a commission decision or court order. More are weighing congressional redistricting during legislative sessions this year.

Trump had hoped that mid-decade redistricting could help House Republicans hold on to their slim majority in the face of political headwinds that typically lead to lost seats for the party in power during midterm elections. But Democrats in some states are seeking to counter Trump with their own gerrymandering efforts.

The unusual mid-decade redistricting battle has resulted, so far, in nine more seats that Republicans believe they can win and six more seats that Democrats think they can win, putting the GOP up by three. However, redistricting is being litigated in several states, and there is no guarantee that the parties will win the seats they have redrawn.

Here are some key details about states that have adopted or considered new districts, including their deadlines for candidates to file for office:

Texas

Current map: 13 Democrats, 25 Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a revised House map into law on Aug. 29 that could help Republicans win five additional seats.

Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 4 cleared the way for the new districts to be used in the 2026 elections. It put on hold a lower-court ruling that had blocked the new map because it was “racially gerrymandered.”

Candidate deadline: Closed Dec. 8

California

Current map: 43 Democrats, nine Republicans

New map: Voters on Nov. 4 approved revised House districts drawn by the Democratic-led Legislature that could help Democrats win five additional seats.

Challenges: The U.S. Department of Justice has joined a Republican lawsuit, alleging lawmakers illegally used race as a factor to favor Hispanic voters in new districts.

Candidate deadline: March 6

Missouri

Current map: two Democrats, six Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a revised House map into law Sept. 28 that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: Opponents submitted petition signatures Dec. 9 to try to force a statewide referendum on the new map. Several lawsuits also challenge the legality of the new districts.

Candidate deadline: March 31

North Carolina

Current map: four Democrats, 10 Republicans

New map: The Republican-led General Assembly gave final approval Oct. 22 to revised districts that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: A federal court panel on Nov. 26 denied a request to block the revised districts from being used in the 2026 elections.

Candidate deadline: Closed Dec. 19

Ohio

Current map: five Democrats, 10 Republicans

New map: A bipartisan panel composed primarily of Republicans voted Oct. 31 to approve revised House districts that improve Republicans’ chances of winning two additional seats.

Challenges: None. The state constitution required new districts because Republicans approved the prior map without Democratic support.

Candidate deadline: Feb. 4

Utah

Current map: no Democrats, four Republicans

New map: A judge on Nov. 11 imposed revised House districts that could help Democrats win a seat.

Challenges: Republicans are challenging the judicial map selection, which came after the court ruled that lawmakers had circumvented anti-gerrymandering standards passed by voters.

Candidate deadline: A bill passed by the Legislature changes the deadline from Jan. 8 to March 13.

Indiana

Current map: two Democrats, seven Republicans

Proposed map: A plan to revise districts would have improved Republicans’ chances of winning two additional seats.

Challenges: The proposed map passed the House on Dec. 5, but it was rejected by a bipartisan vote of state Senate on Dec. 11.

Candidate deadline: Feb. 6

Florida

Current map: eight Democrats, 20 Republicans

Proposed map: No revised districts proposed yet. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis says he will call a special legislative session in April on congressional redistricting.

Challenges: The state constitution says districts cannot be drawn with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or incumbent.

Candidate deadline: April 24

Virginia

Current map: six Democrats, five Republicans

Proposed map: No revised districts proposed yet. The Democratic-led General Assembly in October endorsed a proposed a constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade redistricting. Another legislative vote is needed during the regular session that begins Jan. 14 to refer the amendment to a statewide ballot.

Challenges: Time is limited to receive voter approval of an amendment before candidate filing.

Candidate deadline: April 2

Louisiana

Current map: two Democrats, four Republicans

Proposed map: No revised districts proposed yet. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed legislation in October to delay the state’s primary election from April 18 to May 16. That could give lawmakers extra time to redraw House districts if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the current districts.

Challenges: The Supreme Court heard arguments in October, but it has not yet announced a decision.

Candidate deadline: Feb. 13

Maryland

Current map: seven Democrats, one Republican

Proposed map: No revised districts proposed yet. Democratic Gov. Wes Moore has created a special commission on congressional redistricting.

Challenges: The Democratic Senate president has said his chamber won’t move forward with redistricting because of concerns the effort to gain another Democratic seat could backfire.

Candidate deadline: Feb. 24

Illinois

Current map: 14 Democrats, three Republicans

Proposed map: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in October proposed a map that would improve Democrats’ chances of winning an additional seat.

Challenges: The Democratic-led General Assembly has not taken up redistricting, citing concerns about the effect on representation for Black residents.

Candidate deadline: Closed Nov. 3

Kansas

Current map: one Democrat, three Republicans

Proposed map: No revised districts proposed yet. The Republican-led Legislature could consider redistricting during a regular session that starts Jan. 12.

Challenges: Republican lawmakers dropped a petition drive for a special session on congressional redistricting in November, and a House leader said in January that the plan still lacks enough support.

Candidate deadline: June 1

New York

Current map: 19 Democrats, seven Republicans

Proposed map: No revised districts proposed yet. Democratic state lawmakers have proposed a constitutional amendment to allow mid-decade redistricting.

Challenges: An amendment would need approval by the Legislature in two separate sessions to be placed on the statewide ballot. That means new districts would not be in place before the 2026 elections.

Candidate deadline: April 2

Colorado

Current map: four Democrats, four Republicans

Proposed map: No revised districts proposed yet. Several Democratic state officials have expressed support for a constitutional amendment to allow mid-decade redistricting.

Challenges: An amendment would need to go on a statewide ballot before new districts could be implemented.

Candidate deadline: March 17

Washington

Current map: eight Democrats, two Republicans

Proposed map: No revised districts proposed yet. Democratic lawmakers have proposed a constitutional amendment that would allow mid-decade redistricting.

Challenges: Democrats don’t hold the two-thirds majority needed in both legislative chambers to refer a proposed amendment to the ballot, meaning it is unlikely to be approved before the 2026 elections.

Candidate deadline: May 8

Nebraska

Current map: no Democrats, three Republicans

Proposed map: No revised districts proposed yet. Republican Gov. Jim Pillen has expressed support for mid-decade redistricting to try to shore up a competitive district.

Challenges: Some Republican lawmakers remain reluctant to undertake mid-decade redistricting.

Candidate deadline: March 1

Wisconsin

Current map: two Democrats, six Republicans

Proposed map: No revised districts proposed yet. Two lawsuits assert that congressional districts must be redrawn because they unconstitutionally favor Republicans.

Challenges: The legal cases appear to be on track to be decided after the 2026 elections.

Candidate deadline: June 1