Republicans have gained an edge in a nationwide redistricting battle after the Supreme Court on Friday rejected Virginia’s bid to restore a congressional map that would have given Democrats a chance to pick up four seats in the closely divided House of Representatives.
Read more Bill Cassidy’s Chances of Losing In Louisiana As Voters Head To Polls
The court’s order is the latest twist in the nation’s mid-decade redistricting fight that was kicked off last year by President Donald Trump, who urged Republican-controlled states to redraw their maps to try to help the GOP retain control of the House in November’s midterm elections.
Democrats in California and other states countered by redrawing their own maps to offset Republican gains.
In recent days, the Supreme Court has sided with Republicans in Alabama and Louisiana who hope to redo their congressional maps to produce more GOP-leaning seats following the court’s decision in April that struck down a majority-Black U.S. House district in Louisiana as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
And on Friday, the high court rejected Virginia Democrats’ bid to revive a voter-approved map that could have helped Democrats gain up to four House seats, meaning the state will now proceed with the midterm elections using its current congressional districts.
The move came after the Virginia Supreme Court stuck down a constitutional amendment that voters passed last month, saying the Democratic-controlled legislature improperly began the process of placing the amendment on the ballot after early voting had begun in the Virginia’s general election last fall.
So far, Republicans believe they could win up to 15 additional seats from new districts in Texas, Alabama, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee. Democrats think they could gain up to six seats from new districts in California and Utah.
However, those tallies presume past voting tallies hold in November and historically, the president’s party tends to lose seats in the midterms.
Democrats need to gain just a few seats in November to gain control of the House from Republicans, which would give them greater power to imperil Trump’s agenda in the second half of his term.
Here’s where the redistricting battle stands right now.
Where New House Districts Are Proposed
Louisiana
Republican lawmakers have proposed a new U.S. House map that could help them win an additional seat in response to the Supreme Court’s April 29 ruling striking down a majority-Black congressional district. Republican Governor Jeff Landry postponed the May congressional primary to either July 15 or a date to be determined by lawmakers. However, lawsuits assert Landry lacked authority to suspend the primary elections.
South Carolina
Republican state House members have proposed a new U.S. House map that could give the GOP a better chance at winning an additional seat.
The House voted to allow redistricting to be considered after their regular work session ends May 14, but the resolution failed to get the needed two-thirds majority in the Senate.
Where New House Districts Are in Place
Texas
Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed a new U.S. House map last year that could help Republicans win five additional seats.
The U.S. Supreme Court in December cleared the way for the new districts to be used in this year’s elections. It has since overturned a lower-court ruling that blocked the new map because it was “racially gerrymandered.”
California
Voters in November approved revised House districts drawn by the Democratic-led Legislature that could help Democrats win five additional seats.
The U.S. Supreme Court in February allowed the new districts to be used in this year’s elections. It denied an appeal from Republicans and the Department of Justice, which claimed the districts impermissibly favor Hispanic voters.
Read more Map Reveals States With Highest Mortgage Closing Costs
Missouri
Republican Governor Mike Kehoe signed a revised House map into law last September that could help Republicans win an additional seat by reshaping a Democratic-held district based in Kansas City.
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled May 12 that the new map is in effect as election officials work to determine whether a referendum petition seeking a statewide vote complies with constitutional criteria and contains enough valid petition signatures. The court has rejected claims that the new districts are not compact and that mid-decade redistricting is illegal.
North Carolina
The Republican-led General Assembly gave final approval in October to revised districts that could help Republicans win an additional seat.
A federal court panel in November denied a request to block the revised districts from being used in the midterm elections.
Ohio
A bipartisan panel composed primarily of Republicans voted in October to approved revised House districts that improve Republicans’ chances of winning two additional seats.
The state constitution required new districts before the 2026 election, because Republicans had approved the prior map without sufficient Democratic support after the last census.
Utah
A judge in November imposed revised House districts that could help Democrats win a seat. The court ruled that lawmakers had circumvented anti-gerrymandering standards passed by voters when adopting the prior map.
A federal court panel and the state Supreme Court in February each rejected Republican challenges to the judicial map selection.
Florida
Republican Governor Ron DeSantis announced on May 4 that he had signed revised U.S. House districts that improve the GOP’s chances of winning four additional seats.
Court challenges contend the new map violates a state constitution provision prohibiting districts from being drawn with intent to favor or disfavor a political party.
Tennessee
Republican Governor Bill Lee signed new U.S. House districts on May 7 that improve the GOP’s chances of winning an additional seat by carving up the lone Democratic-held seat, a Black-majority district that includes Memphis.
Court challenges contend the new districts were drawn with a racially discriminatory purpose, disenfranchise voters this year and were not proper under Lee’s special session proclamation.
Alabama
The U.S. Supreme Court on May 11 cleared the state to switch to U.S. House districts passed in 2023 by Republican state lawmakers that could improve the GOP’s chances of winning an additional seat.
Attorneys who originally challenged the 2023 plan have asked a lower court to again block it from being used.
Read more Map Reveals Cities Facing Worst Mosquito Swarms This Summer
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
