Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday urged California lawmakers to approve a November ballot measure that would allow Democrats to bypass the state’s independent redistricting commission and redraw the state’s congressional map, framing the move as a direct response to Republican-led mid-decade redistricting efforts in Texas. The proposal, called the Election …
Read More »Newsom Threatens California Map Overhaul to Counter Texas GOP Redistricting Push
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is preparing to open a new political front in the national fight over congressional maps, threatening to redraw districts in his state to offset a Republican-led redistricting push in Texas. Newsom’s office announced plans for a “major state announcement” Thursday, signaling that California Democrats may take …
Read More »FBI Joins Search for Texas Democrats Who Fled State Over Redistricting Fight
FBI Director Kash Patel has agreed to assist in efforts to locate and potentially detain Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to block passage of Republican-drafted congressional maps, Sen. John Cornyn said Thursday. The Democrats left the state to deny the Texas House a quorum — a procedural tactic …
Read More »Trump Spurs Red-State Gerrymandering Blitz, Prompting Blue-State Retaliation
A push by Texas Republicans to redraw congressional districts and lock in five more GOP seats has triggered a coast-to-coast political firestorm, as red and blue states alike move to reshape the U.S. House map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections — years before the next census. The escalation began …
Read More »Gov. Greg Abbott asks Texas Supreme Court to Expel House Democratic Leader Who Left State
Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday asked the Texas Supreme Court to remove Houston Rep. Gene Wu, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, from office, an unprecedented escalation in Republicans’ efforts to resume business in the Legislature and advance new congressional maps. At least 50 House Democrats have left the state …
Read More »Gov. Greg Abbott Threatens Texas House Democrats with Removal from Office for Fleeing State
Gov. Greg Abbott informed Texas House Democrats late Sunday that he would attempt to have them removed from office if they do not return to Austin to pass the GOP’s proposed new congressional maps. The Republican governor’s late-night missive came after more than 50 Democrats left the state Sunday afternoon …
Read More »Texas House Democrats Flee State in Bid to Block GOP’s Proposed Congressional Map
Texas Democratic lawmakers fled the state Sunday in a bid to block passage of a new congressional map designed to give the GOP five additional seats in the U.S. House next year, raising the stakes in what’s poised to be a national fight over redistricting ahead of next year’s midterm …
Read More »Texas Democrats Vow to Use Delay Tactics to Drag Out GOP Redistricting Effort
As the Texas Legislature’s overtime special session kicked off Monday, Democratic lawmakers promised to make their Republican colleagues’ efforts to redraw the state’s congressional maps as painful and protracted a battle as possible. They threatened to drag out hearings, filibuster and even flee the state to deny the quorum necessary …
Read More »Trump Pushes Texas GOP to Redraw Congressional Maps to Favor Republicans
President Donald Trump is urging Texas Republicans to redraw the state’s congressional maps to add five GOP-friendly House seats, a move that could dramatically reshape the battleground for the 2026 midterm elections. Speaking Tuesday before departing the White House for a trip to Pittsburgh, Trump said, “Texas will be the …
Read More »Federal court: Alabama Legislature Intentionally Discriminated Against Black Voters in Redistricting
A federal court Thursday ruled that the Alabama Legislature intentionally discriminated against Black voters in approving a congressional district map in 2023 that would only have had one majority-Black district. In a nearly 600-page order, the three-judge panel — U.S. Circuit Judge Stanley Marcus, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, …
Read More »Georgia Lawmakers Back At Capitol To Redraw Political Maps To Comply With Voting Rights Act
Ross Williams, Georgia Recorder It’s back to Atlanta and back to the drawing board for Georgia legislators, who are set to gavel in for a special session Wednesday after a federal judge ruled the redistricting maps they produced in 2021 did not protect the rights of Black voters. Lawmakers will …
Read More »Black North Carolina Residents Sue Over Senate Redistricting Plan
Lynn Bonner, NC Newsline Two Black northeastern North Carolina residents are suing to invalidate the state Senate redistricting plan approved last month. The federal lawsuit filed Monday claims that the legislature ignored the history of racially polarized voting in northeastern North Carolina, federal law, and a state Supreme Court opinion …
Read More »A Case Of Magnitude: DeSantis’ Frontal Assault On Voting Rights Act And Fate Of Black District
Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix As fitting for a case of this magnitude, Florida’s First District Court of Appeal will put on a rare show during oral arguments in voting-rights groups’ challenge to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ congressional districting map — specifically, its elimination of a Black-opportunity district in North Florida. All …
Read More »Supreme Court Denies Alabama’s Bid To Use GOP-Drawn Congressional Map
Jemma Stephenson, Alabama Reflector The United States Supreme Court Tuesday denied Alabama’s request to stay a lower court decision directing a special master to draw new state congressional maps to remedy Voting Rights Act violations. The nation’s high court dismissed the request in two one-sentence orders Tuesday morning. No opinions …
Read More »Civil Rights Groups File Federal Suit Over Tennessee’s 2022 Redistricting Plan
Holly McCall, Tennessee Lookout A coalition of civil rights and civic organizations has filed a federal lawsuit alleging Tennessee’s 2022 redistricting plan violates the 14th and 15th amendments of the U.S. Constitution and the rights of Black voters. Filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on …
Read More »
Poli Alert Politics & Civics