Republicans can say goodbye to the advantage they briefly gained through Texas’ controversial mid-decade redrawing of its political maps.
California’s Tuesday night passage of Proposition 50 creates a new congressional map for the most populous state that shifts as many as 10 seats in favor of Democrats and erases the GOP’s advantage in the Lone Star State, according to the Cook Political Report.
“California’s new map will offset the gains that Republicans should make in Texas as a result of their new map, which was drawn at the behest of Trump,” Cook points out in an analysis of Tuesday’s election. “Republicans have also passed new maps in North Carolina, Missouri and Ohio — though the new Ohio map was less advantageous for the GOP than anticipated — and a new court-ordered map in Utah could allow Democrats to pick up a seat.”
California voters passed Prop 50 to push back at Trump’s demand that red states redraw their districts to benefit Republicans ahead of what’s likely to be a punishing midterm for the GOP.
Texas was the first state to oblige the president, jumping on its plan this summer. Gov. Greg Abbott called two separate special sessions to force through a redistricting scheme expected to give his party the upper hand in five Congressional races.
In the end, Abbott’s ploy — which prompted a headline-grabbing walkout by state Democrats — looks like it won’t move the needle for Trump. After Prop 50’s passage, Cook Political Report moved 11 of its ratings for members of Congress — all but one in the Dems’ direction.
“The passage of this new map — which is designed to protect a slew of vulnerable Democrats and will cost Republicans three to five seats in 2026 — is the most consequential development to date in the mid-decade redistricting wars due to the sheer number of seats that it impacts,” the analysis concludes. “The outcome of these races in California could ultimately determine which party wins control of the House next November.”
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