WASHINGTON, D.C. — Since 2025, President Donald Trump and Republicans have made several successful attempts to redraw congressional districts in their favor.
The goal was to lock in more Republican seats and try to protect a slim House majority. But the strategy meant to protect Republican power was a wash, due to to Tuesday’s blue wave.
“There was a huge gerrymandering backlash,” said Casey Burgat, professor of legislative affairs at George Washington University. “The whole goal of gerrymandering is to draw safe enough seats that you pick them up when you otherwise wouldn’t. And not only did they not pick most of them up, they’ve only picked up two out of the 15 that they were targeting in Florida, North Carolina and then in Texas.”
Last year, Republicans redrew five Democratic-held seats in Texas to their advantage.
“But we won those congressional seats down in the Rio Grande Valley where they tried to gerrymander Democrats out of those seats and try to steal five congressional seats. We’ve won most of those seats now in South Texas,” said DNC Chair Ken Martin during an interview on CNN.
Also last year, California Democrats fought fire with fire by redrawing the state’s map to their advantage. On Tuesday, they picked up all five seats they targeted.
“Democrats won on their own, redrawn maps, and they won even in places that Republicans redrew for themselves,” said Burgat.
Burgat said high turnout for Democrats stymied any hopes for the GOP’s new maps.
“There was a backfire where Democrats and at least enough conservatives and independents were saying, I don’t love the way that you’re going about this business, this power grab, and I’m willing to jump ship,” said Burgat. “They drew them in +15 seats, four that Trump won in the previous election. I mean, that’s about as secure as you can get. But it wasn’t enough.”
As of Friday, Democrats have 253 House seats, two Republicans, 161. It’s a 41-seat pickup for Democrats, with few races still to be called.
