North Carolina Senate Advances GOP Redistricting Plan Altering Black Belt Districts

North Carolina lawmakers advanced a GOP-backed redistricting plan that would reshape congressional districts to favor Republicans, specifically targeting the 1st Congressional District represented by Democrat Don Davis. The new map lowers the Black voting age population in District 1 from 40% to 32%, effectively diluting Black political power by moving some Black voters into the neighboring District 3, which is more conservative. President Trump endorsed the map, which is part of his broader strategy to maintain Republican control of Congress in the 2026 elections. Voting rights advocates and Democrats strongly criticize the plan as a racially motivated gerrymander aimed at undermining historic Black representation and communities in North Carolina's Black Belt region. Republicans deny racial motivations, insisting the redistricting is purely political and that no racial data was used in drawing the new lines. The legislation passed the state Senate on party lines and is expected to move forward in the House, signaling a likely increase in Republican congressional seats from North Carolina in 2026.