Republicans eye more than 12-seat gain in redistricting push
Republicans are now hoping to gain at least a dozen seats in the 2026 midterm elections by redrawing congressional maps around the country. Texas has received the most attention because it’s furthest along in the process, and could net the GOP five new seats. But Florida, Ohio, Missouri and Indiana are also important states to watch.
Florida
Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez announced he’s forming a special redistricting committee.
Reports indicate Republicans will try to draw three new GOP seats in the Sunshine State. The Democrats they’re targeting include United States Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz in District 25, Jared Moskowitz in District 23 and Darren Soto in District 9.
Ohio
Ohio’s legislature is legally obligated to redraw their maps this year, and they must be done by Nov. 30.
Ohio Republicans approved the current map in 2021 without Democratic support, so it was only allowed to be in place for four years. State law requires the legislature to go back to the drawing board and come up with a map that can get three-fifths support from both chambers and one-half of the Democratic minority.
If they can’t agree, a commission gets involved. If the commission can’t make a deal, it goes back to the legislature where, ultimately, Republicans could approve a new map without Democrats again.
Ohio Republicans will try to target U.S. Representatives Marcy Kaptur in District 9, Emilia Sykes in District 13, and possibly Greg Landsman in District 1.
Missouri and Indiana
Missouri and Indiana could both get one new Republican district.
Why Republicans say they’re redistricting
If Republicans succeed in each of these states, they would have 12 or 13 new districts.
Republicans said the new maps reflect political changes that were seen across the country in 2024.
“An overwhelming number of Hispanics and Blacks, as well as others, chose to vote for Trump,” Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, said on the Joe Pags podcast. “Four of the five districts that we’re going to create are predominantly Hispanic districts that they’re going to happen to be voting for Republicans as opposed to the Democrats.”
Democrats say it’s anti-democratic and an illegal power grab.
“If we can get rid of any kind of partisan gerrymandering across the entire United States all at once, I absolutely favor that,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told reporters.
Pritzker also addressed criticism that maps in Illinois are significantly gerrymandered in favor of Democrats.
“I think we have to all remind ourselves that just because a map ends up with one party having more seats than the other does not mean that it was gerrymandered, or that there was anything wrong with what happened,” Pritzker said.
Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., is introducing a bill that would ban mid-decade redistricting nationwide and nullify new maps drawn before the 2030 Census. Kiley’s seat could be a target if California Democrats try to redraw their maps.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
