As Texas plows ahead with new maps, governors grapple with the prospect of mid-decade redistricting

As Texas Republicans plow ahead with a plan to redraw congressional maps ahead of schedule, many governors across the U.S. are increasingly grappling with an issue that they didn’t think they’d have to confront until the end of the decade.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — As Texas Republicans plow ahead with a plan to redraw congressional maps ahead of schedule, many governors are increasingly grappling with an issue that they didn’t think they’d have to confront until the end of the decade.

Texas’ unscheduled redistricting effort — which Republicans hope could help protect their narrow House majority during next year’s midterm elections — has had a ripple effect, with governors across the country floating the possibility of following suit to either add to or counter or the plan, depending on their party affiliation.

At the summer meeting of the bipartisan National Governors Association in Colorado Springs, Democrats largely condemned the efforts in Texas while cheering on efforts by members of their own party in other states.

“It’s deplorable,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, said in an interview on the sidelines of the summit, referring to Texas Republicans’ attempt.

When it came to threats by Democratic Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and Kathy Hochul of New York to forge ahead with plans to redraw congressional lines in their states, Murphy added, “I don’t think we have a choice.”