Inside the secret plot by Republicans to pick up over a DOZEN new House seats and solidify power as midterms redistricting war heats up

By CHARLIE SPIERING, US POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 20:48, 23 May 2026 | Updated: 20:48, 23 May 2026 The Republican-led fight for redistricting is making big gains with less than six months to go until the midterm elections in November. Republicans estimate they could win up to 13 additional seats from newly drawn congressional districts in Texas, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio, according to a tally from the Associated Press. Democrats are looking at gains in the single digits, even after successful redistricting efforts in California and Utah.  If Republicans successfully secure the 13 seats, they would be able to keep their majority in the House - and help Donald Trump as he heads into his lame duck years. With the GOP's current margin-thin majority, Democrats only need to pick up a couple of seats to win power back. And traditionally, the opposite party of the president in power is more successful in the midterm elections.  A failed referendum in Virginia was ruled unconstitutional by the Virginia Supreme Court, sending a key defeat to their efforts to beat back some of the Republican gains.  The redistricting project was kicked off by President Donald Trump's deputy chief of staff and political strategist James Blair, who estimated that if Republican-led states chose to break tradition and redraw the political districts early, Congress would have a better chance of keeping Democrats at bay in the midterms. It was the latest bold strategy by Republicans to go on offense, as Democrats had already started chipping away at congressional districts favorable for Republicans with legal challenges. The Democratic party efforts, led by former Attorney General for Barack Obama Eric Holder, was formed in 2017 with an ambitious ten-year plan to challenge existing maps in the courts, forcing them to be more favorable to Democrats. The National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) and its affiliates have raised over $80 million for their efforts as they have quietly been chipping away at districts favoring Republicans and forcing them to be redrawn to include more Democrats. President Donald Trump is getting a favorable political map for the midterms, thanks to a central effort to force redistricting  White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair has launched a ruthless and ambitious plan to redraw Congressional districts in Republican led states  The Republican effort has alarmed Democratic party officials, terrified that they might be able to swing the map in their favor in a midterm election that will favor Democratic gains.  I'm Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent, and I've spent years tracking the dealmakers and power players who shape Washington.  This week, one of Trump's billionaire Cabinet stars is facing fresh scrutiny over past links to Jeffrey Epstein and our new poll reveals America's verdict on whether he should keep his job. Sign up for our free weekly DC Insider newsletter to get the exclusive results in your inbox. It has also created some consternation among some Republicans. Six Republican state senators in Indiana refused to play a part in the redistricting effort, publicly opposing the Trump-supported plan. But Blair made sure they paid politically, as five of the six lost their primaries to Trump-endorsed challengers. 'Sometimes you can vote your conscience, other times you have to vote with the boss,' Blair said in an interview with CNN after the Republicans in Indiana were defeated.  Blair's political savvy and ruthless efficiency will face the ultimate test in November, as Republicans face heavy losses in the upcoming midterm elections. The President's low approval ratings and growing discomfort among Congressional Republicans facing reelection will make it difficult for them to beat back a hungry Democratic party ready to challenge Trump.  Trump also faces an increasingly dispirited electorate over his decision to go to war in Iran.   The latest Daily Mail/JL Partners poll shows that just 33 percent of Americans believe the latest war in Iran was the right thing to do while 52 percent believe it was a mistake. But Blair is determined to make sure the map will work in the President's favor, at least until the 2026 midterms are complete. Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has been challenging Republican drawn districts in court  US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are anticipating big gains in Congress during the midterm elections  Blair plans to leave the White House at the end of the month in order to focus his full attention on the Republican midterm effort.  Democrats might take political advantage as President Trump is currently waging an unpopular war in Iran and voters facing a spike in gas prices and inflation.  Blair believes, however, that Republicans have only to remind voters just how out of step Democrats are with the rest of the country.  'Swing voters already think the Democratic Party's too far left, and we're going to make sure voters know just how far left they are,' he said in an interview with Politico.  'They are woke, weak and way too liberal. And the whole country will be reminded of that.' The comments below have not been moderated. 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