.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
Republicans launched a redistricting war last year in Texas, setting off a tit-for-tat battle between the two parties across the country. But the GOP’s efforts failed to deliver the expected seats in the 2026 elections and, in some cases, completely backfired. Now that the midterms are over, some states are returning to the drawing board. With widespread victories in state legislatures and governors’ offices, Democrats seem poised to strike next.
Redistricting Redux
The most likely place Democrats might redraw congressional lines before 2028 is Wisconsin — and Governor-elect David Crowley has already shown some support for it. “Just to put a nail in the coffin when it comes to this,” Crowley told ABC affiliate WISN, “if the bill was to reach my desk, I will sign it.” Wisconsin’s current map tilts in the GOP’s favor, but Democrats are set to hold four of the eight districts next year. A redraw could place two newly elected Democratic representatives, Mitchell Berman and Rebecca Cooke, in more Democratic-leaning districts.
Free with the Daily Briefing
85EssaysUnravel the Constitution
Hamilton, Madison & Jay’s complete case for America, free and searchable in the Publius Reader.
Free with the Daily Briefing. Unsubscribe anytime.
New York lawmakers could also move to redraw their maps. The state legislature passed an amendment in June 2026 to allow mid-decade redistricting, hoping to counter Republicans’ efforts elsewhere in the country. In May, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul described redistricting as a “fight for our democracy,” but that was when the map battles were heating up and well before Democrats made substantial gains in the 2026 midterms.
Now, Hochul is weighing her options. “The political landscape has changed,” she said at a recent press conference, adding that she would consult House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and New York’s legislative leaders before deciding the next move. The proposed amendment, which would give state lawmakers more control over the redistricting process and allow them to redraw congressional districts before 2030, must pass the legislature again before voters get a say.
In Maryland, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore has also sought to redraw the congressional districts. Notably, a court ruled against a Democratic redistricting plan in 2022, describing it as “extreme partisan gerrymandering.” In the 2026 elections, though, voters approved an amendment to loosen the state constitution’s redistricting requirements, undercutting the 2022 ruling and paving the way for Democrats to manipulate boundaries for US House districts.
Pennsylvania could also redraw after Democrats flipped the state Senate and secured a trifecta for the first time in more than three decades. However, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro doesn’t appear interested in redistricting, telling Meet the Press: “I think now what we need is not an arms race on redistricting but real anti-gerrymandering laws in this country and redistricting reform.”
From Memo to Momentum
Other states have also considered redistricting, including Minnesota, where some Democrats previously discussed whether to redraw the state’s congressional maps if they won control of state government in November. They did gain a trifecta, but it’s unclear whether Governor-elect Amy Klobuchar would support a redraw. Not every effort is coming from Democrats, though. Republican-led Mississippi is also considering new maps after the Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision. Lawmakers held hearings this year, but Gov. Tate Reeves has not yet set a date for a special session.
From Liberty Nation
News, Trivia, Facts, Check Us Out
Stay informed.
Today’s news, the Constitution and American history, written for young readers.
Visit GenerationLiberty.com
There’s a lot of uncertainty in many of these scenarios, but just because Democrats will have more power next year doesn’t mean they’ll step back and get complacent. The party’s own strategists had been planning for this moment well before Election Day. Heather Williams, the president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), sent a memo to donors in June showing Democrats were “setting the stage to pursue redistricting efforts in as many as 13 states before 2028,” according to Time, which got an exclusive look at the memo. The plan was to redraw “congressional lines to secure potentially dozens of additional House seats,” the magazine explained.
“Redistricting is no longer a once-in-a-decade conversation,” wrote Williams.
For Democrats, the midterm results may reduce the urgency and political pressure to take drastic measures, but the allure of gaining an advantage over the GOP may prove too powerful to resist. Yet, as this year showed, either party can overplay its hand.
