The redistricting battle that could decide the 2026 elections, explained

A “Vote Yes on Prop 50” door hanger is displayed on October 22, 2025, in Los Angeles, as volunteers canvassed the neighborhood ahead of the November 4 election. | Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images Key takeaways An unprecedented national race to gerrymander (politically redraw) congressional districts in red and blue states is underway. Texas Republicans kicked it off this summer, after President Donald Trump’s insistence. California voters approved a new map last week — the first major response by Democrats to counter GOP gains. More Republican states have passed — and