Mid-Decade Redistricting Battles Intensify Across Multiple US States

President Donald Trump's push for Republican-led states to redraw congressional maps mid-decade has sparked widespread battles over redistricting across the U.S., aiming to secure and expand GOP control of Congress ahead of the 2026 elections. Texas led the effort by approving a Republican-backed map to flip five Democratic seats, prompting California and other Democratic states to retaliate with their own redistricting plans to protect or gain seats. States like Virginia and Indiana have become key battlegrounds, with governors calling special sessions to redraw maps in response to moves elsewhere and to maintain political balance, reflecting a broader national strategy by both parties. In Indiana, local Republican leaders argue for redistricting to keep pace with changes in other states, while Democrats emphasize respecting the 2024 election results that favored some Democratic incumbents. California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has advanced a redistricting plan that could allow Democrats to gain five more seats in upcoming midterms, focusing on reshaping districts in areas like Long Beach and Orange County, illustrating the high-stakes nature of these conflicts. The nationwide redistricting efforts underscore a fierce partisan struggle to influence congressional representation through map drawing, with legal challenges and voter referendums expected in several states.