Tag Archives: redistricting

Texas seeks Supreme Court order to use a congressional map judges held is likely racially biased

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By MARK SHERMAN WASHINGTON (AP) Texas on Friday asked the Supreme Court for an emergency order to be allowed to use a congressional redistricting plan pushed by President Donald Trump that is favorable to Republicans in the 2026 elections despite a lower court ruling that it likely discriminates on the basis of race. The state is calling on the high court to intervene to avoid confusion as congressional primary elections approach in March. The justices have blocked past lower-court rulings in congressional redistricting cases, most recently in Alabama and Louisiana, that came several months before elections. Texas redrew its congressional map in the summer as part of Trump’s efforts to preserve a slim Republican majority in the House in next year’s elections, touching off a nationwide redistricting battle. The new redistricting map was engineered to give Republicans five additional House seats, but a panel of federal judges in El Paso ruled 2-1 Tuesday that the civil rights groups that challenged the map on behalf of Black and Hispanic voters were likely to win their case. If the ruling holds for now, Texas could be forced to hold elections next year using the map drawn by the GOP-controlled Legislature in 2021 based on the 2020 census. Texas was the first state to meet Trump’s demands in what has become an expanding national battle over redistricting. Republicans drew the state’s new map to give the GOP five additional seats, and Missouri and North Carolina followed with new maps adding an additional Republican seat each. To counter those moves, California voters approved a ballot initiative to give Democrats an additional five seats there. The redrawn maps are facing court challenges in California, Missouri and North Carolina.
https://www.capitalgazette.com/2025/11/21/election-2026-redistricting-texas-scotus/

Texas redistricting: Federal court blocks new congressional map

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U. S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, said the plaintiffs are likely to prove that the new map is racially gerrymandered. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to appeal the ruling to the U. S. Supreme Court. (Excerpt) Read more at youtube. com . TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Texas KEYWORDS: 2026midterms; redistricting Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC PO Box 9771 Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. 1 posted on by thecodont Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4353306/posts

Federal court blocks Texas from using new congressional gerrymander in 2026 midterms

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Texas Tribune ^ | November 18, 2025 | Eleanor Klibanoff Posted on by Miami Rebel Texas cannot use its new congressional map for the 2026 election and will instead need to stick with the lines passed in 2021, a three-judge panel ruled Tuesday. The decision is a major blow for Republicans, in Texas and nationally, who pushed through this unusual mid-decade redistricting at the behest of President Donald Trump. They were hoping the new map would yield control of 30 of the state’s 38 congressional districts up from the 25 they currently hold and help protect the narrow GOP majority in the U. S. House. “The public perception of this case is that it’s about politics,” U. S. Judge Jeffrey Brown, a Trump appointee, wrote in the ruling striking down the new lines. “To be sure, politics played a role in drawing the 2025 Map. But it was much more than just politics. Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map.” Brown ordered that the 2026 congressional election “shall proceed under the map that the Texas Legislature enacted in 2021.” The case will likely be appealed to the U. S. Supreme Court, but time is short: Candidates only have until Dec. 8 to file for the upcoming election. (Excerpt) Read more at texastribune. org . TOPICS: Miscellaneous KEYWORDS: congress; texas Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC PO Box 9771 Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. 1 posted on by Miami Rebel Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4353224/posts

CA Election: Everything you need to know about Prop 50

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SAN FRANCISCO — On November 4, California voters will decide on Proposition 50, a measure that proposes changing the state’s congressional maps mid-decade. This statewide election carries significant national implications, as how California votes could influence which party controls Congress in 2026 and determine the nature of Californian representation in the nation’s capital.

**How Did We Get Here?**

Proposition 50 is part of a broader national battle over redistricting. Both Republicans and Democrats are seeking to gerrymander—or redraw—congressional districts to influence the outcome of next year’s midterm elections and ultimately decide which party will control the U.S. House of Representatives.

This political struggle gained momentum when former President Donald Trump urged Republican-led states, including Texas, to redraw their congressional maps in their favor. In response, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a plan to strengthen Democratic influence, which led to a special election being called and Proposition 50 being placed on the ballot.

**What Will Proposition 50 Do?**

If passed, Proposition 50 would change California’s congressional districts for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections. This would temporarily override the state’s independent redistricting commission, which is currently responsible for drawing new maps after the 2030 census.

The new maps would alter the boundaries of several districts, particularly five currently held by Republicans. These new boundaries would include more registered Democratic voters, theoretically making it more difficult for Republicans to hold onto these seats and increasing the likelihood of Democrats gaining additional congressional seats.

This move counters Texas’ efforts, which are similarly targeted but aimed at five Democrats currently in office.

**What Are the Experts Saying?**

ABC7 News insider Phil Matier explained that the outcome of Proposition 50 is uncertain. He noted that Democrats alone may not be enough to secure a win.

“Even if every Democrat in the state voted for this, you’d still be short,” Matier said. “They’re going to need to bring in independents and some Republicans in order to get this over the line.”

**ABC News California Special Presentation on Proposition 50**

ABC News stations in California have been covering Proposition 50 extensively for months. To provide a comprehensive view, they have compiled some of their best and most in-depth reports into a 30-minute streaming special that explores all angles of the issue.

You can stream this special on demand wherever ABC News content is available in California.
https://abc7.com/post/prop-50-california-election-results-gerrymandering-gavin-newsom-donald-trump/18087539/

Progressive Democrats create 2026 headaches for Schumer’s establishment recruits

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Notably, the lead could be persisting despite a drip, drip of reports highlighting offensive online posts by Platner referencing Black people and sexual assault survivors. The latest post was taken before it was discovered he had a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he has since covered with another tattoo.

In Texas, liberal firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) is “strongly” weighing a Senate bid in the wake of state redistricting. Elsewhere, crowded Democratic primaries, including in Michigan, are likely to hemorrhage critical resources the party will need for general elections to protect incumbent seats or oust Republicans.

Schumer’s preferred recruits, such as Mills in Maine, former Gov. Roy Cooper in North Carolina, and former Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio, are far older but are considered “more stable” and electable than grassroots progressives like Platner. Despite their ability to energize the base, Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf emphasized this point but cautioned Schumer and his allies not to make what he called a critical misstep: criticizing the younger, more liberal outside challengers.

“The leadership can’t say, ‘They’re out of line. They’re wacky. They’re too far to the left,” Sheinkopf said. “The leadership just has to keep doing its job in Washington.”

Even before Mills’s entry into the race, tensions were rising within the party as Platner criticized Schumer as “wholly incapable” of combating President Donald Trump and lumped him together with Collins as those who can’t stop grassroots momentum.

Since Mills’ campaign launch earlier this month, Platner has urged Schumer against “meddling in a Maine primary” and to stay “focused on fighting Donald Trump and protecting healthcare for millions of Americans.”

There’s limited sympathy among Senate Democrats for Platner’s complaints about Schumer. Platner did have a small fan club among more progressive senators before this month’s revelations about his online posts, and influential members such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) have stuck by him.

“I didn’t have the support of the [Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee], but I knew I could win, and more importantly, that I could win the general election. So that’s what I did,” said Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), reflecting on the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm’s initial reluctance to back his early challenge to then-Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), partly because it came before her retirement announcement.

“If you can do it, do it. If not, then don’t do it. But don’t complain,” Gallego continued. “Everyone’s got to work their own way in.”

Schumer, who is Jewish, recently told reporters he’ll “let the people of Maine decide” if Platner’s controversies, including the Nazi tattoo, should be politically disqualifying.

“We think that Janet Mills is the best candidate to retire Susan Collins,” he said of the leadership’s position, while the Senate campaign arm has already taken steps to financially bolster Mills.

“She’s a tested two-term governor, and the people of Maine have an enormous amount of affection and respect for her.”

Sanders, a democratic-socialist who rose to national prominence as an outsider to the Democratic establishment, downplayed Platner’s social media posts. He attributed them in part to a once-struggling overseas combat veteran and deflected on the Nazi tattoo by railing against a “corrupt campaign finance system” and referencing cuts to government healthcare programs under Trump’s “big, beautiful” tax law.

“What bothers me is we don’t have enough candidates in this country who are prepared to take on the powers to be and fight for the working class,” Sanders recently told reporters.

There are headaches elsewhere for Senate Democrats, including a Michigan fight to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI). Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), backed by the Michigan state party to succeed Peters in a three-way contest against Democratic state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed, attended a recent DSCC Napa Valley fundraising retreat, according to Politico.

McMorrow recently met with DSCC Vice Chair Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), according to Axios. These meetings offer the latest signs that Senate Democrats are still weighing how heavily to influence the race for a particular candidate.

For Republicans, Attorney General Ken Paxton is running an insurgent campaign against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), creating a mirror image problem for GOP leadership. They fear his own political scandals will hurt the party next November.

Cornyn has pulled even with Paxton in polling, following months of aligned outside groups spending heavily to hammer Paxton over personal and professional scandals, including allegations of an extramarital affair, corruption, and bribery.

Meanwhile, Democrats are fielding scandals or fearing lost momentum in off-year races in Virginia and New Jersey.

Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for attorney general in Virginia, is embroiled in controversy over texts in which he detailed the fantasy of shooting a state Republican lawmaker in the head. This has prompted his lead over Republican nominee Jason Miyares, the current attorney general, to shrink.

In the New Jersey governor’s race, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) maintains a lead over Republican rival Jack Ciattarelli, but the contest remains competitive in a state where recent Republican gains have set off alarm bells for Democrats.

### Schumer Lands His Prized Senate Recruits in Battlegrounds

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), a progressive member of Senate leadership, said his energy is better spent on the government shutdown than on offering election analysis. However, he told the Washington Examiner he’s set to campaign with Sherrill in New Jersey next weekend.

“She’s a great candidate. I think she’s going to win,” Murphy said. “But she needs all the help that she can get.”
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/3863659/progressive-democrats-2026-headaches-schumer-establishment-recruits/

Virginia Democrats Call Legislature Into Special Session To Redraw Congressional Maps

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Democrats in the Virginia legislature will reconvene next week to consider redrawing the state’s congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms, House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott announced Thursday.

The initiative has the full backing of Minority Leader Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, who has been pushing blue states to redraw maps in response to red states’ redistricting efforts.

In a letter to lawmakers on Thursday, Speaker Scott notified them that they will need to return to Richmond for a special session beginning Monday afternoon. During this session, Democrats are expected to introduce a bill that would allow them to redraw Virginia’s congressional maps. The House of Delegates is the lower chamber of Virginia’s bicameral General Assembly.

Scott’s decision to call the special session was first reported by Virginia Scope.

If Democrats move forward with the plan, they would likely target two or three congressional seats currently held by Republicans. For instance, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans, who narrowly won re-election last year, could see her district redrawn to include the more Democratic parts of Norfolk and its surrounding suburbs.

Similarly, Congressman John McGuire, who currently represents Charlottesville and the more rural southern part of Virginia, might have his district reshaped to include more of Richmond. Congressman Rob Wittman may also see his district shift leftward if Democrats redraw it to incorporate parts of Richmond or Fredericksburg.

Prior to Speaker Scott’s special session announcement, the majority leader of the state Senate, Scott Surovell, confirmed to the New York Times that the legislature would be returning to “address” the redistricting issue.

The process Democrats are pursuing in Virginia mirrors similar efforts in other states, such as California. Over the summer, Governor Gavin Newsom asked California’s legislature to disempower the state’s non-partisan redistricting commission, enabling lawmakers to set up a statewide ballot initiative scheduled for this November. If approved by voters — which polling indicates is likely — Democrats there would regain control over redistricting and could gain five congressional seats.

Virginia’s redistricting requirements are slightly different but comparable. Two sessions of the state legislature must independently approve legislation to suspend the state’s redistricting commission. Speaker Scott, Senator Surovell, and other Democratic leaders would need to pass one bill in the upcoming special session, and then another after the new legislative session begins in January.

While the state Senate’s next election isn’t until 2027, Virginians will vote for new members of the House of Delegates next month. Democrats are expected to pick up seats in the chamber and flip the governor’s mansion from red to blue.

After the legislature approves suspending the redistricting commission in two separate sessions, voters must approve the move via a statewide ballot initiative.

National Democrats have been actively seeking blue states where they can redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms. Maryland Governor Wes Moore has indicated he may collaborate with legislators to eliminate his state’s lone Republican district.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also expressed readiness to “go to war” with the GOP over redistricting, though such efforts there won’t be possible until at least 2027. Colorado and New Jersey are other states Democrats believe could redraw maps either by next year or in time for the 2028 elections.

On Thursday, Congressman Jeffries confirmed his support for Illinois Democrats’ efforts to redraw their maps. However, redistricting in Illinois has faced concerns among Black lawmakers seeking to protect majority-minority districts. Jeffries assured reporters that those districts would be safeguarded.

Earlier this week, Punchbowl News reported that Jeffries is slated to headline a fundraiser in Ohio, where Republicans may redraw their congressional maps. He told reporters on Thursday that he supports ballot initiatives in Missouri and Ohio aimed at blocking gerrymandered maps from being used in the 2026 elections.

As redistricting battles continue to unfold across the country, Democrats are focused on leveraging legal and legislative avenues to create more favorable electoral districts ahead of upcoming midterms.
https://www.nysun.com/article/virginia-democrats-call-legislature-into-special-session-to-redraw-congressional-maps

Dark money clouds circle Maine’s voter ID Question | Opinion

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Maurice T. Cunningham, J.D., Ph.D., of Damariscotta, is the author of *Dark Money and the Politics of School Privatization*.

In 2024, more than 370,000 Mainers—many of them elderly or disabled—voted by absentee ballot. Referendum Question 1 threatens to strip many of these voters of the freedom to have their votes counted fairly.

Concealed behind layers of dark money fronts funding Question 1 are far-right billionaires and Christian nationalists who fueled the rise of President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. Tracking and following dark money can feel like a medieval archaeological dig.

More than 90% of the funds raised to support Question 1—over half a million dollars—comes from a Washington, D.C.-based dark money operation called the RSLC PAC. This PAC is solely funded by the Republican State Leadership Committee, a group that depends on cash infusions from entities controlled by Catholic activist Leonard Leo.

In 2024, the committee has received $650,000 from a dark money front called The Lexington Fund and $100,000 from the First Principles PAC, which is also underwritten by the Lexington Fund. Both are operated by Leo. Going back to 2022, you’ll find $1.5 million from The Concord Fund, another entity controlled by Leo.

An additional $10,000 funding Question 1 comes from the For Our Future PAC. The principal officer of both the Question 1 committee and For Our Future is Alex Titcomb, who also serves as the principal officer of Dinner Table Action PAC. Notably, the For Our Future PAC is the largest contributor to Dinner Table Action PAC, giving $100,000. The For Our Future PAC depends on Leo’s Concord Fund for nearly all its funding.

Much of the money Leo deploys can be traced to the Marble Freedom Trust. In 2020, billionaire Barre Seid contributed $1.6 billion to Marble to enable Leo to expand his influence over American politics. President Trump assigned Leo the task of placing right-wing jurists Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett on the Roberts Court. Leo has reportedly been a “matchmaker” between radical billionaires and justices Thomas, Alito, and Roberts.

The Roberts Court has delivered elections to billionaires through the Citizens United line of cases. It gutted the Voting Rights Act and removed the courts’ role in protecting voters from unfair redistricting schemes. The RSLC PAC pioneered partisan redistricting efforts. Recently, Trump influenced the Texas state government to undertake a rare mid-decade redistricting to secure more congressional seats for MAGA.

The Trump administration has sued Maine to obtain voters’ personal information. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, “there is a concerted White House effort to interfere in future elections.” One aspect of this effort includes Trump’s executive order attempting to prevent states from counting absentee ballots—even in states, like Maine, where state law explicitly allows them to be counted. It is important to note that the president does not have this power.

Historian Heather Cox Richardson writes that Trump’s 2021 election-denying lawyer, Cleta Mitchell, has stated that Trump could proclaim “a threat to the national sovereignty of the United States” to assert “emergency powers to protect the federal elections going forward,” effectively seizing authority over elections from the states, which constitutionally exercise such powers.

In 2021, Trump instigated a violent insurrection to overturn the results of a free and fair election he lost. A study by Leo’s ally, the Heritage Foundation, found that from 1982 to 2025, there were only two cases of voting irregularities in Maine—both in 2010—and neither involved absentee ballots.

Question 1 is a test of whether Mainers will surrender their freedom to have their votes counted fairly to MAGA and far-right billionaires.

Vote “No” on Question 1—in person or by absentee ballot.
https://www.pressherald.com/2025/10/17/dark-money-clouds-circle-maines-voter-id-question-opinion/