Republicans gained edge over Democrats in redistricting battle, internal party assessment finds

Republicans gained edge over Democrats in redistricting battle, internal party assessment finds15 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleDaniel BushWashington correspondentEPAThe redistricting battle that reshaped the electoral maps for the 2026 midterms created 10 additional red-leaning seats in the House of Representatives, according to an internal House Republican assessment obtained by the BBC.With the new maps set ahead of November, Democrats must now defend 23 House seats that President Donald Trump won in 2024. That is up from 13 at the beginning of the midterm election cycle.Republicans hold eight seats that the Democratic nominee Kamala Harris won, up from three at the start of the 2026 cycle.That overall reshuffling amounts to a potential gain of five favourable seats for Republicans, according to the assessment by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the House Republicans' campaign arm.That internal evaluation, which has not been previously reported, came after the last states that participated in redistricting finished redrawing their maps last month.The new electoral landscape could offer some encouragement to House Republicans, who are seeking to maintain their slim majority in the chamber as polls suggest significant voter anxiety over the economy, high cost of living and the war in Iran. House Republicans have a 217-212 majority, with five vacancies.US midterm elections historically favour the party out of power, and this year Republicans are running as Trump's approval rating sits near a record-low for his presidency. Those are conditions that would typically point to a good outcome for Democrats.Will this scandal-plagued outsider help save or sink the Democrats?Republicans feared losing midterms - but fight over voting maps changed all thatRepublicans in South Carolina defy Trump to reject voting map changes Virginia approves redistricting measure, boosting Democrats' hopes for midtermsHouse Republicans soug...