A redistricting arms war sparked by Texas Republicans‘ efforts to redraw the state’s Congressional maps, supported by President Donald Trump, could reshape the 2026 midterms.

Newsweek reached out to the DCCC and NRCC for comment via email.

Why It Matters

As the 2026 midterms approach, redistricting could play a major role in whether Republicans are able to keep their majority, or minimize their losses, in the House.

Historically, the party in the White House loses seats in the midterms, and Democrats are optimistic about their chances as President Donald Trump’s approval rating continues to drop in recent polls. In Trump’s first midterms, in 2018, Democrats made a net gain of 40 seats, surging to a majority.

Republicans currently have a narrow 219-212 majority in the House with four seats vacant heading into 2026.

What To Know

Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott called a special session to, in part, address calls for a redrawing of maps to thwart potential Democratic gains in the midterms.

Other GOP-led states have joined Texas in proposing to redraw their maps, hoping it could result in lost seats for Democrats next November. The moves have fueled calls for Democratic-run states to counter by redrawing their own maps. However, a number of states have legal restrictions that would make mid-decade redistricting a challenge.

Typically, redistricting happens once every 10 years following the census to adjust boundaries based on population changes. Mid-decade redistricting does happen from time-to-time, however, usually following legal challenges against maps accused of being gerrymandered. States like Florida and Virginia have seen this sort of redistricting in the last decade.

Texas Republicans are likely to eye seats held by Democratic Representatives Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez in South Texas, both of which were won by Trump last November. The region has quickly moved to the right over the past decade, turning these former Democratic strongholds into possible red turf.

Suburban seats in Dallas and Houston could also be considered during the redraw. Representative Lizzie Fletcher, a Houston Democrat whose districted could be targeted, described the efforts as “disrespectful to citizens” and a “betrayal of our democratic principle that all citizens should have a say in our government.”

Ohio is another red state that has said it is considering redrawing its boundaries. Democrats in competitive seats, such as Representative Marcy Kaptur, whose Trump-won district includes Toledo, and Emilia Sykes, who represents Akron, would be the most vulnerable.

That redraw would come after the state Supreme Court ruled in 2022 that the current state map is unconstitutional. Last November, Ohio voters rejected a plan that would have established a citizen commission instead of allowing lawmakers to draw maps, meaning Democrats have little say in how the new maps can be redrawn.

How Democrats Plan to Counter Texas GOP Redraw

California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom responded to Texas’ plans by suggesting his state could also redraw its map to give Democrats more advantages. But California has an independent redistricting commission, so any attempts at a mid-decade redraw could face legal challenges.

Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, previously raised legal concerns about the redistricting plan to Newsweek, saying that it “has to go through a ballot measure.”

Maryland House Majority Leader David Moon announced on X he is “introducing legislation to redraw Maryland congressional districts if any other state cheats & draws new maps outside of the census period.” Democrats hold all but one of Maryland’s eight districts and could target GOP Representative Andy Harris.

Meanwhile, Democratic New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is also not ruling out a redraw, but mid-decade redistricting is not legal in the state, so any effort to do so would require a change to that law.

CNN reported that Democrats are also eyeing states like New York and Washington as states that could redraw their maps, but it’s not clear Democrats in those states have the political appetite or legal ability to do so.

There are also legal challenges against current boundaries in Georgia, South Carolina and Utah, where Democrats have raised gerrymandering arguments. In Georgia, critics have argued that the current map diluted the power of Black voters, and the case is being appealed. A similar argument was made in South Carolina over the state’s 1st Congressional District which includes parts of Charleston and is represented by GOP Representative Nancy Mace. The state Supreme Court has heard arguments in this case.

Democrats are also hoping for a positive outcome in Utah that would create a Democratic seat in Salt Lake City, as Republicans hold each of the state’s four districts.

What People Are Saying

Democratic Representative Ro Khanna previously told Newsweek: “The governor, none of us, have that power. It’s for the voters to decide, and the voters have an independent commission. What we need to do is make sure that we challenge what Texas is doing as unconstitutional. It’s a violation of the Voting Rights Act. It’s a violation of people having a fair vote, and it’s gerrymandering districts.”

Democratic Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin told Axios: “If they’re going to go nuclear in Texas, I’m going to go nuclear in other places. I’m not going to fight with one arm tied behind my back. I don’t want to do that, but if they’re proposing to rig the game, we’re going to get in that game and fight.”

President Donald Trump told reporters earlier in July: “No, no. just a very simple redrawing. We pick up five seats. But we have a couple of other states where we will pick up seats also.”

What Happens Next

Democrats are considering the best way to respond to Texas’ redistricting plan as pressure grows from lawmakers to find a counter. Exact details on how the Texas map may change remains unclear at this point.