Battle Lines Are Drawn Over Partisan Redistricting—What to Know

Leaders in both parties call for mid-decade remapping to gain House seats. Experts say it’s legal but unwise: ‘You’re not going to have any purple districts.’
Battle Lines Are Drawn Over Partisan Redistricting—What to Know
(Left) California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks in Sacramento on July 25, 2025. (Right) Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks in Beaumont, Texas, on Oct. 17, 2022. Justin Sullivan, Brandon Bell/Getty Images
|Updated:

As state lawmakers in both parties ponder the possibility of increasing their share of seats in the House through redistricting, some have questioned the legality of the move.

The current situation kicked off in June, after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called a special session of the Texas Legislature that would, among other goals, consider the prospect of redistricting the state’s congressional seats to more heavily favor Republicans.