Trump-Backed GOP Redistricting Faces Legal, Demographic Setbacks Nationwide

President Donald Trump is actively pushing for redistricting efforts to benefit the Republican Party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, urging Republican-led states to redraw constituency maps to maintain GOP control of the House of Representatives. However, this strategy has faced setbacks, such as a Utah judge ruling that the state must redesign its map after Republicans overturned a voter-approved referendum opposing partisan gerrymandering. Texas recently approved a new map expected to gain Republicans five extra seats, prompting California Democrats to propose their own redistricting plan to add five seats for Democrats and counterbalance Texas's move. This has sparked accusations and political conflict, with Republican leaders condemning California's redistricting as a power grab while largely ignoring similar efforts in Texas, revealing partisan double standards in the redistricting debate. Meanwhile, researchers warn that Trump's plan to conduct a mid-cycle Census excluding undocumented immigrants could backfire by undercounting rural populations, which tend to lean Republican, potentially weakening rural representation and inadvertently benefiting suburban and urban areas. Overall, the ongoing battles over redistricting and census methodology highlight deep partisan tensions as both parties maneuver to secure electoral advantages ahead of critical upcoming elections.