WASHINGTONThe fight over House districts in 2022 is starting well before new lines on state maps are drawn.
Lawmakers, outside groups and attorneys are readying for a battle over redistricting that could change the control of the House majority in President-elect Joe Bidens first term. Democrats are set to go into the new Congress with 222 seats, to Republicans 211, with two races still in dispute. The narrow majority has Republicans preparing to fight for favorable maps and Democrats on the defense.
Its going to be a cycle unlike any other in that there will be more potential gerrymandering than ever before but also more pushback than ever before, said Michael Li, senior counsel at the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice.
U.S. House and state legislative districts are redrawn every 10 years, based on census data. Estimates released last Tuesday show that 10 states are likely to lose at least one congressional seat: Alabama, California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia. In total, 435 districts are split between the states.
Texas could gain three seats and Florida is expected to gain two. Five others are expected to gain one seat: Arizona, Colorado, Montana, North Carolina and Oregon. There is potential for New York to also lose a second seatand Alabama to hold on to all its seats, based on the final data.
