Gerrymander-ama 2026: North Carolina GOP To Redraw Congressional District After Trump’s Request

North Carolina Republicans announced plans this week to redraw the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, a move directly aligned with President Donald Trump’s national push to strengthen GOP control in Congress.State House Speaker Destin Hall (R) confirmed the legislature’s intentions on Monday, writing on X, “We will stand with the President, defend the GOP majority, and secure an additional Republican congressional seat.”Senate Leader Phil Berger (R) echoed the sentiment, stating in a press release that the General Assembly is “doing everything we can to protect President Trump’s agenda, which means safeguarding Republican control of Congress.” Berger added that the legislature will vote on the new map during its October session.Democrats React To ‘Power Grab’The announcement has ignited backlash from North Carolina Democrats, who say Republicans are prioritizing partisan advantage over state needs. Governor Josh Stein (D) slammed the move in a press release, stating, “The General Assembly works for North Carolina, not Donald Trump.” He accused GOP leaders of sidelining key issues like the state budget, teacher and law enforcement pay, and Medicaid funding.“These shameless politicians are abusing their power to take away yours,” Stein said. “The voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around.”Despite being the governor, Stein does not have the veto power to stop GOP’s efforts to redraw congressional district lines. House Democratic Leader Robert Reives echoed the criticism, saying Republicans are aiming to “disenfranchise the voters of this state” and “steal a congressional district in order to shield themselves from accountability at the ballot box.”Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, took to X to call Hall and Berger “BOOTLICKERS.”A National Redistricting Arms RaceNorth Carolina’s redistricting effort comes amid a broader national trend of partisan map-drawing on both sides. Republican-led states, such as Texas and Missouri, have already reshaped their congressional maps in an effort to expand GOP influence ahead of the 2026 elections. Redrawn maps in these two states could give the GOP 6 additional seats in 2026.Democratic states are responding in kind. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) supports a November ballot initiative that would strip redistricting power from the state’s independent commission and return it to the Legislature. California’s new map could shift five seats into the Democratic column.New York and Maryland are also exploring ways to redraw their maps.What’s at Stake in North Carolina?North Carolina’s current House delegation includes 10 Republicans and 4 Democrats. According to the Cook Political Report’s 2025 Partisan Voting Index, only the 1st Congressional District, held by Democrat Rep. Don Davis, is considered competitive, having voted within 5 points of the national average. That district is now seen as a prime GOP pickup opportunity.Despite being a swing state in presidential elections, decided by fewer than 4 percentage points in each of the last five contests, North Carolina has not voted for a Democratic presidential nominee since Barack Obama in 2008. With redistricting back on the table, both parties are bracing for another battle over the balance of power, not just in North Carolina, but in Congress itself.