Republicans are gaining a conclusive edge in the 2022 midterm elections, as the congressional maps for the elections emerge after redistricting. These maps are showing the GOP can easily flip five seats in the next year’s races.
Republicans using redistricting to win Congress in 2022
Republican Congressman Tom Emmer from Minnesota praised the latest redistricting efforts, saying it will help the party get stronger in important districts. Twelve states completed the redistricting process. Republicans have gained significant ground in Texas, North Carolina, Montana, and Iowa.
Of these four states, Democrats lost their advantage in Iowa and North Carolina. The GOP just needs a net gain of five seats in the 2022 House elections and redistricting will help them cross the line easily.
According to the reports, only 61 out of 435 House seats are competitive and can swing either way. Thus, redistricting becomes even more important, as the prospects for both parties are small to get control of the House.
When it comes to gerrymandering, both sides don't do it.👇
When Republicans have controlled the redistricting process, they have increased their seat share in Congress by an average of 9.1% the next election. For Democrats, that number is 0%.https://t.co/hldheMvqxs
— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) November 11, 2021
In the current political setup, Republicans have the authority to redistrict 187 congressional seats, compared to Democrats who only hold power to do it for 75 seats. The process of finalizing congressional maps is underway in the remaining states and will be done before the primary elections next year.
American voters are also participating in redistricting efforts
Redistricting is done once a decade. Due to the late results of the 2020 census, the maps of many districts are yet to be finalized.
While Democrats have often criticized the GOP for playing foul while redistricting, it is imperative to note Americans have also participated in the process in record numbers this time.
For instance, more than 7,000 people gave their input to one of the independent commissions in Washington, while almost 1,300 of them also submitted their own maps for the process.
The same is the case with other states as well, as hundreds of people submitted their input in Michigan and California. Alabama and Indiana Republicans successfully diluted Democrats’ political clout in the new maps.
In Utah, the GOP made likewise efforts to eliminate a highly competitive district in Salt Lake City won by Democrats in the 2018 midterm elections. Similarly, Republicans secured the Oklahoma city seat, not to mention a Colorado district has also been set up for a Republican win.
Today in redistricting:
🌄The Colorado Supreme Court approved state legislative maps: https://t.co/uo310SEBt6
🍑Georgia state House and Senate maps passed and head to Gov. Kemp for signing
🌰Ohio continued work on a new congressional map and is poised to pass it this week— Democracy Docket (@DemocracyDocket) November 15, 2021
Democrats, on the other hand, are busily redistricting in Maryland to de-seat Andy Harris, the only GOP congressman from the state.
However, redistricting is not the only thing that threatens Democrats’ power and control of Congress. The latest polls indicated 51 percent of voters would vote for Republicans, compared to 41 percent of Democrats, if elections were held today.
These numbers came after Democrats passed the infrastructure bill, which they touted will bring the votes in their favor. Unfortunately, the public thinks otherwise, as experts voice out their opinion stating the bill will skyrocket the inflation rate in America.
