As the 2026 midterm elections draw closer, both Republicans and Democrats are locked in intense redistricting wars across various states. This push for new congressional maps kicked off earlier in 2025 in Texas and has since sparked similar initiatives in states like California and Missouri.
Currently, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, and Virginia are all facing redistricting challenges.
Florida
In Florida, Republicans are battling over a House map that could potentially increase their number of seats. Presently, they hold 20 out of 28 congressional districts. The Florida House Redistricting Committee has already convened twice, yet Governor Ron DeSantis and Senate Republican leaders seem inclined to postpone further discussions until a special session in spring. There’s concern that this might be a mistake, as federal candidates must finalize their paperwork by April 20.
The Florida GOP also faces hurdles from constitutional provisions that strictly limit gerrymandering.
Illinois
Democrats in Illinois could gain more seats, but progress has been slow. Some Black lawmakers worry that a new map might undermine minority representation. Governor J.B. Pritzker suggested that Illinois may have to react if Indiana proceeds with its own redistricting. Yet, he later commended Indiana for rejecting a new map.
Pritzker noted that his neighbors in Indiana resisted pressure from Trump and defended voter interests. However, after the rejection in Indiana, Illinois Senator Willie Preston urged Pritzker to reconsider any plans, despite speculations that the Prairie State was still contemplating redistricting. With the candidate filing deadline having already passed, Illinois has an additional layer of complexity.
Kansas
Kansas is also on the GOP radar for redistricting efforts. Republican officials have stated they will discuss the congressional map changes when they next meet, though a previous attempt to raise the issue failed. A two-thirds majority in Congress is necessary to call a special session, but support was lacking in the House. They did collect enough signatures in the Senate, although any new map would still need to override a veto from Democratic Governor Laura Kelly, who recently expressed skepticism about the likelihood of revisiting the issue.
Maryland
In Maryland, Democrats have been hesitant about redistricting. Governor Wes Moore established a commission to explore the possibility, but there’s little enthusiasm for it from his party. The commission has moved forward against some internal criticism, which has sparked frustration among party members.
Senate President Bill Ferguson voiced that many constituents desire focus on broader issues rather than changes to the congressional map.
Virginia
Virginia’s Democratic lawmakers made a significant move in late October with plans to redraw congressional maps. They are looking to introduce a constitutional amendment by 2030 that would enable mid-decade redistricting. This amendment needs to pass again in the coming spring or summer before heading to voters. After the recent elections, Democrats in the state House have gained more support for this effort.
The goal is to achieve more favorable representation in Congress, ideally flipping the current 6-5 Democrat-Republican split. If the public backs the amendment, new maps could be in place ahead of the 2026 elections, though legal challenges from Republicans are anticipated.
