The 2020 Census dictates how congressional and state legislative districts will be re-drawn. Because of the shift and exodus of people out of California, this state is looking to lose at least one congressional seat, and potentially two. Whoever is drawing the maps has the potential to maximize the number of districts that favor their party.

The party that now controls most of the nation’s state houses? Republicans. This fact can change the electoral map for decades to come.

According to the 538 blog, Republicans are set to control the redistricting of 188 congressional seats — or 43 percent of the entire House of Representatives. At the most, Democrats will control the redistricting of 73 seats, and since races are still being called, it could be less.

This is a rare occasion where the winner at the top of the ticket had little to no affect in the state houses. Republicans won almost every 2020 election in which control of redistricting was at stake, which is strange. This gives credence to the cries of election fraud, even though legal validity is still needed to prove this.

My colleague, Nick Arama explains,

“There have been a lot of questions raised about fraud and irregularities in this election.

“One of the reasons that people question is the other numbers and results in the election.

“One of the things that isn’t getting a lot of coverage in mainstream media is just how well the Republicans did, contrary to predictions. While even Fox, incorrectly, projected a Democratic gain in the House on Election Night, in fact, as we reported, the Republicans picked up at least 12 seats and will likely have more before the final count is in. Of the four remaining House races to be determined (how are they not determined yet?!), Republicans are leading in all four and likely to get 15, which would give the Democrats a bare majority by just a handful of votes.

“As Cook Political Report explained, there were 27 races in the House considered “toss-ups.” Not only did Republicans win every single one of those toss-ups but they also picked up seven of the 36 seats that Cook had predicted as “likely Democrat” or “lean Democrat.”

“In the Senate, of the seven toss-ups, Republicans won five, the other two are the Georgia races still to be determined in January. They also won all four races that were “lean Republican.” Which means they only need one of the races in January to hold their majority.

“Even in the statehouse races, Republicans won “almost every election where redistricting was at stake” and didn’t turn any statehouse while Republicans did flip the Senate and the House in New Hampshire.”

 

Here are the State houses where the GOP changed the game:

• Texas: Election Data Services estimates Texas will have 39 congressional seats for the next decade. This is huge.
• Pennsylvania: And the way Pennsylvania is at the center of this national fight, this is a major coup. They’ll still have to share redistricting power over its projected 17 congressional districts, because the Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf will still have veto power.
• North Carolina: Republicans held the majority, which will enable them to draw an expected 14 congressional districts all by themselves.
• Virginia: Amendment 1 passed, which takes the power to draw the state’s 11 congressional districts out of the hands of the Democrat state government and puts it in the hands of a bipartisan commission made up of a mix of citizens and legislators.
• Missouri: This mostly Red state has eight congressional districts. Republican Gov. Mike Parson was elected to a second term, keeping redistricting control with the GOP.
• Minnesota: Republicans kept the majority in the state Senate, so the seven congressional districts will be a bipartisan endeavor.
• Iowa: Republicans kept the State house with its four congressional districts.
• Kansas: Republicans are the legislative supermajority here, which means they get to re-draw the four congressional districts without fear of veto.
• New Hampshire: Republicans upset the apple cart, flipping both the state House and state Senate, giving them full control of both the state government and the redistricting process.

Republicans already had State house control in Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Alaska. Michigan and Wisconsin have majority in one house and Democrat governors; but this essentially neutralizes the power in either party.

Here is where conservatives need to make their voices heard locally: for those states with re-districting commissions, ensure that conservative, pro-freedom, and pro-business voices are appointed to these commissions; where the Houses of Congress decide the lines, hold your Republican and conservative representatives to the fire to ensure fair and accurate representation. Most urgently, recruit, champion, and support conservative candidates to run for any new seats created, and to hold the line on freedom and opportunity for all Americans.