Missouri’s governor signed a new congressional map into law last weekend, a GOP-led mid-decade redistricting effort likely to add a Republican seat and bolster the party’s U.S. House majority.
Gov. Mike Kehoe praised the new boundaries. “I was proud to officially sign the Missouri First Map into law today ahead of the 2026 midterm election,” Kehoe stated.
Former President Donald Trump also lauded the Missouri congressional map Trump had supported, calling it “FANTASTIC” and predicting it “will help send an additional MAGA Republican to Congress in the 2026 Midterm Elections.“
GOP Pushes Mid-Decade Redistricting Strategy
The move in Missouri is part of a larger Republican strategy to increase their House majority ahead of the 2026 midterms. A similar effort is underway in GOP-dominated Texas, where a bill aims to create up to five more right-leaning congressional districts.
Each seat is critical in the national political landscape. Democrats currently need a net gain of just three seats to win back the U.S.
House majority.
Partisan Gerrymandering Legal Challenges Loom
Democrats have vowed to fight the new map in court, setting the stage for potential partisan gerrymandering legal challenges. In Missouri, opponents are also gathering petition signatures to force a statewide referendum on the new redistricting law.
Democrats are not standing idly by, pursuing their own mid-decade redistricting efforts. In California, a special ballot proposition this November will ask voters to approve a plan to create five more Democratic-leaning districts.
Ohio Florida Redistricting Battlegrounds Emerge
Ohio has emerged as a key front in this fight. State lawmakers missed a Tuesday deadline to approve a new, bipartisan map, and a Republican-dominated commission now has until the end of the month to complete the task.
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has called mid-decade redistricting “appropriate,” and a legislative panel may begin discussions next month. Indiana Governor Mike Braun has also engaged in talks with lawmakers about the possibility of a special session for redistricting, showing how redistricting affects 2026 midterms nationally.
Other States Join the Fray
Several other states are considering altering their maps, including Maryland, Illinois, Kansas, and Nebraska. This wave of activity is expanding the national redistricting conflict far beyond its expected scope.
In Utah, however, Democrats may see a pickup. A judge ordered the GOP-controlled legislature to draw new maps after ruling they illegally ignored a voter-approved independent commission.
