Trump-backed victory in Missouri may set off redistricting battles in different key states

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It is mission completed for Republicans in a second state they management within the high-stakes political battle over congressional redistricting, pitting President Donald Trump and the GOP in opposition to the Democrats.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe final weekend signed into regulation a brand new congressional map that's more likely to hand Republicans an extra seat within the U.S. House of Representatives forward of subsequent yr's midterms elections.

Missouri, a one-time swing state that has dramatically shifted to the proper over the previous decade and a half, is the newest battleground within the congressional redistricting showdown after the passage of recent maps in GOP-dominated Texas and a redistricting push by Democrats in closely blue California.

With Democrats at present needing only a three-seat pickup in subsequent yr's midterms to win again the Home majority, every seat could possibly be important.

REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR SIGNS INTO LAW TRUMP-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL MAP

Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe of Missouri, applauds whereas delivering the State of the State handle Jan. 28, 2025, in Jefferson Metropolis, Mo. (Jeff Roberson, File/AP Picture)

"I used to be proud to formally signal the Missouri First Map into regulation immediately forward of the 2026 midterm election," Kehoe stated in an announcement. "We imagine this map finest represents Missourians, and I respect the help and efforts of state legislators, our congressional delegation, and President Trump in getting this map to my desk."

Trump, in a social media assertion following passage within the GOP-dominated state legislature final month, known as the brand new map "FANTASTIC" and stated it "will assist ship an extra MAGA Republican to Congress within the 2026 Midterm Elections."

Republicans at present management six of Missouri's eight congressional seats .

Democrats are vowing to battle the brand new maps with authorized challenges and different opponents are gathering petition signatures to drive a statewide referendum on the redistricting regulation.

ABBOTT CLEARS FINAL REDISTRICTING HURDLE AS TEXAS SENATE PASSES NEW TRUMP-APPROVED MAP

Kehoe introduced Missouri's particular legislative session to go the brand new map as Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas signed into regulation a redistricting invoice handed by the Republican supermajority within the state legislature that goals to create as much as 5 right-leaning congressional districts on the expense of present Democrat-controlled seats within the reliably purple state.

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/672/378/greg-abbott-fox-news-intv-milwaukee-wi-july-17-2024.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/1344/756/greg-abbott-fox-news-intv-milwaukee-wi-july-17-2024.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/931/523/greg-abbott-fox-news-intv-milwaukee-wi-july-17-2024.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/09/1862/1046/greg-abbott-fox-news-intv-milwaukee-wi-july-17-2024.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, seen being interviewed by Fox Information Digital, just lately signed into regulation a invoice that redraws the Lone Star State's congressional districts. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox Information )

The strikes in Missouri and Texas are a part of a broad effort by the GOP to pad its razor-thin Home majority to maintain management of the chamber within the 2026 midterms, when the celebration in energy historically faces political headwinds and loses seats.

Trump and his political staff are aiming to forestall what occurred throughout his first time period within the White Home, when Democrats reclaimed the Home majority within the 2018 midterm elections.

Democrats are preventing again in opposition to the uncommon, however not unheard-of mid-decade redistricting.

California state lawmakers accepted a particular poll proposition this November to acquire voter approval to briefly sidetrack the state's nonpartisan redistricting fee and return the facility to attract the congressional maps to the Democrat-dominated legislature.

The trouble in California, which goals to create 5 extra Democratic-leaning congressional districts and counter the shift in Texas, is being spearheaded by two-term Gov. Gavin Newsom , who's seen as a probable 2028 Democratic presidential contender.

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/343/192/2ad611d1-gavin-newsom-redisricting-wide-shot-la-august-14-2025.jpg.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/686/384/2ad611d1-gavin-newsom-redisricting-wide-shot-la-august-14-2025.jpg.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/672/378/2ad611d1-gavin-newsom-redisricting-wide-shot-la-august-14-2025.jpg.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/1344/756/2ad611d1-gavin-newsom-redisricting-wide-shot-la-august-14-2025.jpg.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/931/523/2ad611d1-gavin-newsom-redisricting-wide-shot-la-august-14-2025.jpg.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/1862/1046/2ad611d1-gavin-newsom-redisricting-wide-shot-la-august-14-2025.jpg.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/720/405/2ad611d1-gavin-newsom-redisricting-wide-shot-la-august-14-2025.jpg.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/1440/810/2ad611d1-gavin-newsom-redisricting-wide-shot-la-august-14-2025.jpg.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California speaks throughout a congressional redistricting occasion Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP)

With the brand new maps in Texas and Missouri signed into regulation, and voters in California weighing in on the poll field this fall, here is a have a look at which states could possibly be subsequent within the redistricting battle.

Ohio

State lawmakers within the Buckeye State missed a deadline this previous Tuesday to approve a brand new, bipartisan map. They're beneath a court docket order to provide you with a brand new map as a result of the one used the previous two election cycles did not obtain sufficient bipartisan help.

Because the GOP-controlled state legislature did not provide you with a brand new map, the duty now falls to Ohio's Republican-dominated redistricting fee, which has till the top of the month to get the job completed.

Ohio was as soon as a prime battleground state, however Republicans have dominated statewide contests over the previous decade.

Republicans at present maintain ten of the state's 15 U.S. Home seats.

Ohio, because of the mandated court docket order for a brand new map, was initially the one state anticipated to endure congressional redistricting this yr earlier than Trump and his political staff urged different Republican-controlled states to change their maps.

Indiana

Lawmakers within the Hoosier State, one other one-time battleground the place Republicans are actually firmly within the majority, may meet in a particular legislative session later this yr to push by means of redistricting.

Vice President JD Vance paid a go to to the Indiana Statehouse in early August to huddle with Republican leaders about redistricting. And a few weeks later a gaggle of Indiana GOP lawmakers traveled to the nation's capital to fulfill with Vance and different Trump White Home leaders.

Republican Gov. Mike Braun, in current interviews, stated he wished state lawmakers to take the lead on redistricting.

"I need it to be the place it wasn’t compelled upon our legislature, have our leaders discuss to their very own caucus members," the governor instructed WOWO radio.

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as leaves the White Home in Washington, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (Jose Luis Magana/AP Picture)

Florida

As soon as the most important battleground prize in presidential elections, Florida is now firmly purple.

And Republican leaders are mulling a brand new map, with GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis this summer season calling mid-decade redistricting "acceptable."

A choose panel within the Republican-dominated state legislature may meet subsequent month to start out dialogue on congressional redistricting.

Maryland

Democrats in closely blue Maryland are weighing a redistricting push.

A invoice that might permit Maryland to endure mid-decade redistricting if one other state first handed new maps was launched this summer season by Democrats.

Democrats at present maintain seven of the state's 8 U.S. Home seats.

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Different states contemplating altering their maps are Democrat-dominated Illinois and purple states Kansas and Nebraska.

In the meantime, Democrats may choose up a seat in Republican-dominated Utah, the place a decide just lately ordered the GOP-controlled legislature to attract new maps after ruling that lawmakers 4 years in the past ignored an impartial fee accepted by voters to forestall partisan gerrymandering.

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based mostly within the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the marketing campaign path from coast to coast."