A battle between Texas Republicans and California Democrats to bolster their party's advantage in the U.S. House has led politicians in other states to consider ways they, too, could leverage partisan power to rack up more victories in the 2026 congressional elections.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed into law a new U.S. House map sought by President Donald Trump that could help Republicans in their quest to keep control of the chamber. Hours later, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe announced that he was calling a special session to also redraw House districts in Republicans' favor.
California Democrats already have launched a counteroffensive, asking voters to approve revised House districts designed to boost Democrats' prospects.
Redistricting typically occurs once a decade, immediately after a census. But in some states, there is no prohibition on a mid-cycle map makeover. The U.S. Supreme Court also has said there is no federal prohibition on political gerrymandering, in which districts are intentionally drawn to one party's advantage.
The redistricting efforts could play a role in determining control of the U.S. House and, with it, the prospects for Trump's policy goals in the latter half of his term.
Here is a rundown of what states are doing.
Texas Democrats walked out, but Republicans prevailed
Democratic state House members left Texas for two weeks to scuttle a special session on redistricting by preventing a quorum needed to do business. But after that session ended, Abbott quickly called another one — and Democrats returned, satisfied that they had made their point and that California was proceeding with a counter plan.
Republicans currently hold 25 of the 38 congressional seats in Texas. A revised map passed Aug. 23 is intended to give Republicans a shot at picking up five additional seats in next year's elections. Abbott's signature made the map final.
Missouri lawmakers to meet in a special session on redistricting
Kehoe scheduled a special legislation session on redistricting to start Sept. 3 and released a proposed new congressional map that targets a seat held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. The plan would give Republicans a chance at winning the seat by stretching the Kansas City-based district into rural Republican-leaning areas.
Republicans currently hold six of Missouri’s eight congressional seats.
Unlike in Texas, Missouri Democrats can’t prevent a quorum for business by walking out. And although Democrats could filibuster in the Senate, Republicans could use procedural maneuvers to shut that down and pass a new congressional map.
California Democrats seek to counter Texas
Democrats already hold 43 of the 52 congressional seats in California. But similar to Texas, a revised map passed Aug. 21 by the state Legislature is aimed at giving Democrats a chance to gain five additional seats in the 2026 elections.
Unlike Texas, California has an independent citizens' commission that handles redistricting after the census, so any changes to the commission's map would need to win approval from voters. A referendum on the revised map is scheduled for Nov. 4.
Indiana Republicans meet with Trump about redistricting
Indiana’s Republican legislative leaders met privately with Trump to discuss redistricting while in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 26. Some also met with Vice President JD Vance.
Several Indiana state legislators came out in support of a mid-cycle map change following the meetings. But others have expressed hesitation about joining Trump’s push to remake districts in Republicans’ favor. It remains unclear if Indiana will hold a legislative session on redistricting.
Republicans hold a 7-2 edge over Democrats in Indiana’s congressional delegation. All incumbent GOP congressional representatives have said they support redistricting.
Louisiana Republicans looking at times for a special session
Louisiana lawmakers are being told to keep their calendars open between Oct. 23 and Nov. 13. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Oct. 15 over a challenge to the state's congressional map.
Republican state Rep. Gerald “Beau” Beaullieu, who chairs a House committee that oversees redistricting, told the AP that the idea is to have lawmakers available to come back to work in case the Supreme Court issues a ruling quickly.
Republicans currently hold four of Louisiana's six congressional seats.
Ohio must redraw its maps before the 2026 midterms
Because of the way its current districts were enacted, the state constitution requires Republican-led Ohio to adopt new House maps before the 2026 elections. Ohio Democrats are bracing for Republicans to try to expand their 10-5 congressional majority when they meet later this year to redraw maps.
Democrats don’t have much power to stop it. But “we will fight, we will organize, we will make noise at every step of the process,” Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde said.
New York Democrats try to change state law
New York, similar to California, has an independent commission that redraws districts after every census. But state Democrats have introduced legislation to allow mid-decade redistricting.
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul had said that if Texas proceeded, “we must do the same.”
But the soonest new maps could be in place would be for the 2028 elections. That is because the proposal would require an amendment to the state constitution, a change that would have to pass the Legislature twice and be approved by voters.
Maryland Democrats planning a response to Texas
Democratic state Sen. Clarence Lam already has announced he is filing redistricting legislation for consideration during the 2026 session. Democratic House Majority Leader David Moon also has said he will sponsor legislation triggering redistricting in Maryland if Texas or any other state conducts mid-decade redistricting. Democrats already control seven of Maryland's eight congressional seats.
Florida's governor pledges support for redistricting
Florida Republican state House Speaker Daniel Perez said his chamber will take up redistricting this year through a special committee. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has reiterated his support for the state to join the redistricting fray, calling on the federal government to conduct a new Census count and claiming that the Trump administration should “award” the state another congressional seat.
Florida has 28 U.S. House seats, 18 of them currently occupied by Republicans.
Kansas Republicans haven’t ruled out redistricting
Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson didn’t rule out trying to redraw the state’s four congressional districts, one of which is held by the state's sole Democratic House representative. The Legislature's GOP supermajority could do so early next year, which would put the new lines in place before the June 1 candidate filing deadline.
A court orders Utah to redraw its districts
Utah Republicans hold all four of the state's U.S. House seats under a map the GOP-led Legislature approved after the 2020 census. But a judge ruled Aug. 25 that the map was unlawful because the Legislature had circumvented an independent redistricting commission established by voters to ensure districts don’t deliberately favor one party.
The judge gave lawmakers until Sept. 24 to adopt a map that complies with voter-approved standards. A new map could increase Democrats' chances of winning a seat.
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Associated Press writers Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York; Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City; Isabella Volmert in Lansing, Michigan; and Brian Witte in Annapolis, Maryland, contributed to this report.
David A. Lieb And Jesse Bedayn, The Associated Press
