Copyright Newsweek
Republican efforts to reshape congressional maps to bolster President Donald Trump’s political influence are moving forward in some states and stalling in others — with a redistricting plan advancing in battleground North Carolina even as it appears to falter in deep-red Indiana. In North Carolina, GOP lawmakers this week approved a congressional map designed to add another Republican seat and strengthen Trump’s hand in next year’s midterm elections. The new boundaries, passed along party lines in the state House and Senate, would likely give Republicans 11 of the state’s 14 U.S. House seats — up from 10 — in a state Trump carried in 2024. The proposal could threaten the reelection of Democratic Rep. Don Davis, whose northeastern district would be redrawn to favor Republicans. “The new congressional map improves Republican political strength in eastern North Carolina and will bring in an additional Republican seat,” GOP Rep. Brenden Jones said during debate. Democrats condemned the plan as a partisan power grab that would dilute Black voting power in the state’s “Black Belt” region. “You are silencing Black voices and going against the will of your constituents,” Democratic Rep. Gloristine Brown said on the House floor. Republicans have denied using racial data and argue that the maps were drawn for political, not racial, reasons. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein cannot veto redistricting bills under state law, clearing the way for the plan to take effect unless courts intervene. Lawsuits from Democrats and voting-rights groups are expected before candidate filing begins Dec. 1. North Carolina’s move fulfills a call from Trump and his allies for GOP-led legislatures to use redistricting to expand the party’s majority in Congress. Texas and Missouri have already adjusted maps to favor Republicans, while Democrats in states like California are pursuing their own redraws to add seats for their side. But in Indiana, where Republicans dominate nearly every statewide office, Trump’s push for mid-decade redistricting has met unexpected resistance. State Senate Republicans told FOX59/CBS4 this week that “the votes aren’t there for redistricting,” pausing a plan that could have further consolidated GOP control by targeting the state’s two Democratic-held congressional districts. Indiana currently has nine U.S. House seats — seven Republican and two Democratic — and some party leaders had argued that redrawing lines before 2030 could erase the remaining blue strongholds. Vice President J.D. Vance has visited Indianapolis twice for talks on redistricting, and state lawmakers traveled to Washington to meet with federal officials. “I urge my colleagues to stand with me as we move ahead to protect our conservative values,” state Sen. Liz Brown posted on social media after discussions involving Trump allies. Democrats at both the state and national level denounced the proposal as a “power grab.” Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Indiana Republicans were being “pressured by Washington Republicans to do something they know in their hearts is wrong,” while Democratic Rep. André Carson called the effort “unethical.” Public opinion appears to back opponents of the plan. A recent Independent Indiana poll found 53% of Hoosiers oppose mid-decade redistricting, compared with 34% in favor. Advocacy groups like Indiana Conservation Voters applauded Senate Republicans for holding off, saying lawmakers “are standing strong against political pressure from Washington” and “putting Hoosiers first.” House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta of Fort Wayne said the message from voters is clear. “Nobody is asking for redistricting,” he said. “Hoosiers are asking their elected leaders to fix their high utility bills, property taxes and absurd health care costs.” The contrast between the two states underscores the uneven momentum behind Trump’s push to reconfigure congressional maps. In purple North Carolina, Republicans are moving quickly to lock in electoral advantages. In reliably red Indiana, they’re finding that even among allies, the appetite for a mid-decade map overhaul may be limited. This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
