Republican leaders in the state Legislature on Monday announced a plan to redraw North Carolina’s congressional districts to help President Donald Trump maintain Republican control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the midterm elections.
In a joint statement, Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall announced they will discuss the new congressional maps next week, when the Legislature is scheduled to return to session.
“President Trump delivered countless victories during his first term in office, and nine months into his second term, he continues to achieve unprecedented wins,” Berger said in the statement. “We are doing everything we can to protect President Trump’s agenda, which means safeguarding Republican control of Congress.
“President Trump earned a clear mandate from the voters of North Carolina and the rest of the country, and we intend to defend it by drawing an additional Republican Congressional seat,” Hall said in the joint statement.
North Carolina has 14 representatives in Congress, ten Republicans and four Democrats.
The current congressional districts approved in 2023 already favor Republicans. Only District 14, which Democrat Don Davis won in 2024 by a narrow majority of votes, is considered competitive in the state.
With new congressional maps, Legislature leaders could expand Republican control and win at least one more seat in the midterm elections in 2026.
Berger and Hall’s announcement comes after President Trump called on Republican-led legislatures across the country to redraw their congressional districts to help sustain Republican control of Congress.
Texas recently redrew its electoral maps, creating five new Republican-leaning congressional districts, prompting a response from California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newson, who announced special elections in November to approve new congressional maps in his state, which would give Democrats additional seats in the Congress.
“Picking up where Texas left off, we will hold votes in our October session to redraw North Carolina’s congressional map to ensure Gavin Newsom doesn’t decide the congressional majority,” Berger said in his statement.
“Our state won’t stand by while Democrats like Gavin Newsom redraw districts to aid in their effort to obtain a majority in the U.S. House. We will not allow them to undermine the will of the voters and President Trump’s agenda.” Hall said.
In North Carolina, electoral maps are approved by a simple majority in the state Legislature, where Republicans have control of both chambers, and the governor does not have veto power in this case.
In response to the Republican plan, Democratic Gov. Josh Stein accused Republican leaders of abusing their power to favor President Trump over North Carolina voters.
“The General Assembly works for North Carolina, not Donald Trump.”, Stein said in a statement. “The Republican leadership in the General Assembly has failed to pass a budget, failed to pay our teachers and law enforcement what they deserve, and failed to fully fund Medicaid. Now they are failing you, the voters.”
“These shameless politicians are abusing their power to take away yours. I will always fight for you because the voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around.” Stein added.
