Limited options for Democrats to retaliate if Texas Republicans redraw congressional map

AP News ^ | Updated 9:15 AM CDT, August 2, 2025 | NICHOLAS RICCARDI and JOEY CAPPELLETTI

[E. Pluribus Unum]

WASHINGTON (AP) — As Republicans move to redraw legislative maps in red states to pad their narrow House majority in Washington, some Democrats are rethinking their embrace of a nonpartisan approach to line-drawing that now complicates their party’s ability to hit back before next year’s midterm elections.

In many Democratic-controlled states, independent commissions rather than the state legislature handle redistricting, the normally-once-a-decade task of adjusting congressional and legislative districts so their populations are equal. Parties in the majority can exploit that process to shape their lawmakers’ districts so they are almost guaranteed reelection.

Who controls redistricting in the states

Congressional redistricting after the 2020 census was controlled by Republicans in more states than by Democrats or commissions. In some states, courts imposed the maps.

The commission model limits parties’ ability to game the system, leading to more competitive districts. Not all redistricting commissions were created at Democrats’ insistence. And, like Republicans, the party has exploited line-drawing for its own gain in the handful of states where it controls the process. But unlike Republicans, many Democratic Party leaders have embraced the nonpartisan model.

That means Democrats have fewer options to match Republicans, who are redrawing the U.S. House map in Texas at President Donald Trump’s urging to carve out as many asfive new winnable seats for the GOP. That could be enough to prevent Democrats from winning back the majority next year.

Democrats have threatened payback. During a gathering Friday in Wisconsin of Democratic governors, several of them said they wanted to retaliate because the stakes are so high.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, who has pushed for a nonpartisan redistricting commission in his...

[EQAndyBuzz]

“ AP is such trash.”

Reuters is trash. The AP is raw sewage.

[existentially_kuffer]

Looking forward to the next census! Make sure illegals do not contribute to the senses.

[existentially_kuffer]

census*

[Agatsu77]

“Independent” commissions appointed by Democrat assemblies. Hardly nonpartisan.

[Svartalfiar]

I do not know the answer to correct this as it is a state function and not a federal function and it should be a state function per our constitution.

Seems the States could still be drawing their own districts, just under the requirement that they be as compact as is reasonable. I think they should be required to be weighted 50% by population and 50% by area, but at minimum compartness should be a priority.

[Svartalfiar]

Congressional districts need to be combined. Four hundreds and thirty five congress critters is far too many.

Congressional districts need to be quartered or even eighth'd. 435 Reps isn't nearly enough, that's an average of one Rep per 760,000 people.

If that Rep decided to meet with all of his constituents, over a two-year term, 365 days a year, eight hours a day, you'd get two minutes to talk to him.

[Svartalfiar]

But then someone told me that computer technology could be altered with algorithms, which would favor one party or another.

True, but it would be much less extreme due to the dispersion of the voting public. They could lean a few percentage points further in one direction than the zero-split, but current gerrymandering gives tens and twenties of % change from the zero-point. Hell, CA currently votes about 40% Repub, yet their Reps are only 17% Repub. Switch to compact-required districts (weighting only by population), and I bet the most gerrymandered result would be closer to 30% Pubbies.