Episode 7: Redistricting Turbulence in Texas and Elsewhere, with Nathaniel Rakich from Votebeat

One of the leading stories this year has been mid-decade redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterms. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump began encouraging Republican-run states to create more favorable congressional maps for the GOP, starting with Texas. Democrats have responded with their own redistricting moves, including a redraw in California via the voter-approved Proposition 50. This week, the redistricting saga encountered its latest twist when a federal judicial panel blocked Texas’s new map, ruling it an illegal racial gerrymander — a decision that Texas Republicans have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.To review the redistricting drama we’ve seen so far in 2025, DDHQ Chief Elections Analyst Geoffrey Skelley spoke with Nathaniel Rakich, managing editor for Votebeat. We examined the overall redistricting picture, including how it compares to mid-decade redistricting historically and how the new lines may affect the 2026 midterm chances for each party. We then took a detailed tour of the six states that have implemented new maps, including a look the main changes in each state and the political winners and losers in each remap. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit decisiondeskhq.substack.com