Republicans gain upper hand in redistricting fight, but they still face midterm headwinds

Back-to-back redistricting victories in court have Republicans gaining confidence.

Back-to-back redistricting victories in court have Republicans gaining confidence. But President Donald Trump’s lagging approval ratings and other political indicators continue to threaten the GOP’s grip on Congress six months out from the midterm elections.

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The Virginia Supreme Court’s Friday decision blocking a gerrymandered map, which could have netted Democrats up to four House seats, comes less than two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court limited the use of race in redistricting, which has Republican-led states moving to draw out majority-Black, Democratic-held districts in the South in the coming weeks.

But as one structural piece of the midterms gets better for Republicans, the overall national mood remains sour for the party. Poll after poll shows Trump’s approval below 40% and Americans deeply frustrated with his handling of the economy. A handful of reputable polls shows Democrats erasing the GOP’s long-held edge on the economy.