Politics

Beyond Texas and California: How Trump’s Moves and Redistricting Battles Will Reshape the 2026 Midterms

August 22, 2025, 12:25 PM

Donald Trump is speaking at a podium, with his hands raised and his mouth open, in front of three large American flags.

A photograph of Donald Trump speaking at a campaign rally on March 9, 2024, in Rome, Georgia. By Shutterstock.com / Phil Mistry.

Executive Summary

Texas Republicans are advancing a redistricting plan expected to create five new GOP-leaning House districts.

California Democrats are proposing a countermeasure to temporarily redraw state congressional maps, aiming to secure an additional five U.S. House seats for the party.

President Trump met with federal law enforcement officials in Washington, D.C., following his decision to federalize the city’s police force and deploy the National Guard.

The Story So Far

The current political maneuvers stem from a strategic push by both major parties to influence future congressional representation, particularly ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections. Republican-led states, including Texas, are advancing redistricting plans to create GOP-leaning House districts, which has prompted California Democrats to propose a countermeasure to redraw their state’s maps, aiming to secure additional U.S. House seats and directly respond to these efforts, some of which are reportedly supported by President Trump.

Why This Matters

The aggressive state-level redistricting efforts in Texas and California, designed to secure an additional five U.S. House seats for each party respectively, signal an intense, partisan battle that will significantly reshape congressional representation and the balance of power heading into the 2026 midterm elections, occurring alongside President Trump’s notable assertion of federal authority through the federalization of Washington, D.C.’s police force.

Who Thinks What?

Texas Republicans are advancing a redistricting plan designed to create five new GOP-leaning House districts in the state.

California Democrats have proposed legislation to temporarily redraw their state’s congressional maps, aiming to secure an additional five U.S. House seats for the party, in direct response to Republican redistricting efforts.

President Trump met with federal law enforcement officials in Washington, D.C., following his decision to federalize the city’s police force and deploy the National Guard, citing public safety concerns.

Texas Republicans are advancing a redistricting drive that could reshape congressional maps, prompting California Democrats to propose a countermeasure ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, according to FairVote Senior Fellow David Daley. These state-level actions unfold as President Donald Trump recently addressed federal law enforcement officials in Washington, D.C., following his federalization of the city’s police force. The concurrent developments highlight significant political maneuvers at both state and federal levels.

State-Level Redistricting Efforts

California Democrats have passed a series of three bills, backed by Governor Gavin Newsom, aimed at temporarily redrawing the state’s congressional maps. This proposal, if approved by voters, is projected to secure an additional five U.S. House seats for the Democratic Party. It is viewed as a direct response to redistricting efforts in Republican-led states, including those reportedly supported by President Trump.

Concurrently, the Texas Senate is expected to pass a congressional map drawn by Republicans. This plan, which reportedly spurred California’s Democratic proposal, is designed to create five new GOP-leaning House districts within the state. The Texas Senate is scheduled to reconvene on August 22, 2025, to further consider the measure.

President Trump’s Engagement with Law Enforcement

Separately, President Trump met with federal law enforcement officials at a Park Police facility in Washington, D.C. His visit followed his decision to federalize the city’s police force and deploy the National Guard in the nation’s capital. President Trump cited public safety concerns as the reason for these actions, prompting a fact-check of his claims on D.C. crime.

The ongoing redistricting battles in key states like Texas and California underscore the strategic efforts by both major parties to influence future congressional representation. These state-level legislative pushes are unfolding alongside significant federal actions, such as President Trump’s recent engagement with law enforcement in Washington, D.C., setting the stage for potentially impactful shifts in the political landscape leading up to the 2026 midterm elections.