Redistricting Rush Ahead Of 2026: GOP Push, Democratic Counters And Court Battles

President Donald Trump and Republican officials are leading an aggressive mid‑decade campaign to redraw congressional district lines in multiple states to protect the party's slim House majority ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats have mounted countermeasures — including alternative maps and legal challenges — producing a nationwide series of political and courtroom fights that could determine control of Congress.

Key State Battles

In Missouri, opponents of a newly drawn map that would split Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's Kansas City‑based district submitted thousands of signatures seeking a statewide referendum to delay implementation.

Indiana's House approved a map aimed at unseating the state's two Democratic members. The proposal now faces uncertainty in the state Senate, where leadership has indicated the measure may not have enough Republican support to pass.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay of a lower court ruling that had barred Texas from using a map critics say could create as many as five Republican‑leaning seats. The stay allows Texas to use that map in the upcoming midterms for now.

The Trump administration has filed suit against California over a Democrat‑drawn map that was approved overwhelmingly by state voters in November. The lawsuit argues federal concerns with the plan even as Democrats say it will blunt potential GOP gains in other states.

Why This Matters

Redistricting normally follows the decennial census, but the current balance in the House has made mid‑decade map changes a powerful tool for shaping the 2026 electoral landscape. States vary in how maps are drawn — by state legislatures, independent commissions, or through constitutional amendments and referendums — which affects how easily lines can be changed.

Republicans currently have more pathways to gain seats through new maps because they control more state governments, and some Democratic‑led states that had delegated map‑drawing power to independent commissions are now attempting to reverse those decisions. Ongoing legal challenges and a potential Supreme Court ruling that could limit portions of the Voting Rights Act would further alter the map‑making landscape and could encourage more aggressive mid‑decade redistricting.

CNN is monitoring these developments and will continue to report on new state actions and court decisions.

—Reporting contributions by CNN staff.