North Carolina’s political landscape has erupted into fresh controversy as Republican leaders in the state legislature push forward with a plan to redraw congressional maps—moves that critics say are designed to lock in partisan advantage and respond to pressure from former President Donald Trump. The dispute, which has drawn national attention, comes amid a broader wave of mid-decade redistricting efforts across several states, with both parties eyeing control of Congress in the next election cycle.
On October 14, 2025, Republican leaders in the North Carolina General Assembly—House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate Leader Phil Berger—announced their intention to vote on a new congressional map during the upcoming legislative session. According to a joint statement reported by Enlace Latino NC, the plan was propelled by “President Donald Trump’s call urging the legislature to take action to nullify Democrat redistricting efforts.” Berger and Hall made clear their goal: to win at least one additional seat for Republicans in the U.S. House, building on their current 10-4 majority over Democrats in the state’s 14 congressional districts. “We are doing everything we can to protect President Trump’s agenda, which means safeguarding Republican control of Congress,” Berger said. “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.”
The reference to California Governor Gavin Newsom underscores the national stakes. Texas, under Republican Governor Greg Abbott, recently began its own aggressive redistricting, aiming to secure up to five more seats for the GOP. Newsom responded with a Democratic-leaning map in California, requiring voter approval. The North Carolina effort is part of this larger, high-stakes chess match, as both parties scramble to redraw the electoral map in their favor before the 2026 midterms.
The urgency—and controversy—of North Carolina’s redistricting push is heightened by the state’s recent history. According to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), North Carolina is already “one of the most gerrymandered states in the country.” Despite Democrats’ success in statewide elections, Republicans currently control 10 of 14 congressional seats. The DNC claims that Trump’s involvement is a calculated move to shore up Republican power in anticipation of losing the congressional majority, citing what they call his “Tax Scam”—a policy they say has caused 450,000 North Carolinians to lose health care and cut food assistance for 784,000 families.
“North Carolina Republicans’ following the lead of Donald Trump to rig the state’s Congressional maps is corruption at its worst,” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement. “Senator Phil Berger decided to secure his own dishonest backroom deal and throw North Carolinians under the bus in the process. North Carolinians deserve fair congressional maps, and Republicans’ plan to deny their own constituents won’t be tolerated by the people they were elected to represent.” Martin pledged continued support for North Carolina Democrats “fighting tooth and nail for fair representation.”
These accusations of backroom dealing have been amplified by speculation that Berger’s decision to move forward with redistricting was influenced by Trump’s withholding of an endorsement in the upcoming Republican primary. The DNC contends that Berger only agreed to produce the new map after Trump’s intervention. However, as reported by CBS 17, Berger has denied any such deal, stating on social media that “no such deal existed and that he had never spoken to the President about that.” As of mid-October, no formal endorsement from Trump had been made public.
The mechanics of redistricting in North Carolina grant significant power to the Republican-controlled legislature. Under the state constitution, Democratic Governor Josh Stein cannot veto redistricting plans. This reality has left Democrats and voting rights advocates deeply concerned. “The General Assembly works for North Carolina, not Donald Trump,” Stein said. “These shameless politicians are abusing their power to take away yours.” Stein also criticized lawmakers for failing to pass a state budget, highlighting divisions over taxes, public employee salaries, and funding for a new Children’s Hospital.
Senate Democratic leader Sydney Batch echoed these concerns, accusing Republicans of “rigging the election instead of doing their job.” She argued that GOP leaders are more focused on staying in power than addressing the needs of working families. Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause North Carolina, called the announcement “unprecedented,” noting, “never has the General Assembly voluntarily redrawn congressional districts mid-decade for purely political reasons. It’s always been because of a court order. Today’s announcement is a new low.”
Public opinion, too, appears to be firmly against partisan redistricting. A poll commissioned by Common Cause found that 84% of voters—including Republicans—consider it unacceptable for politicians to draw districts to benefit their own party. “Speaker Hall and Senator Berger should remember that our state’s voting maps don’t belong to them—nor to the politicians they’re bowing to in Washington, D.C. Our districts belong to the people of North Carolina,” Phillips added.
Political experts widely expect the new map to target Congressional District 1, currently represented by Democrat Don Davis. It is the only truly competitive district in the state, covering swaths of eastern North Carolina. The rest of the state’s districts are considered safe for one party or the other, making any changes to District 1 potentially decisive for the overall balance of power.
Meanwhile, the redistricting debate is unfolding in other states as well, with Ohio providing a striking parallel. As reported by News5Cleveland and the Ohio Capital Journal, Ohio Republicans have yet to propose a new congressional map, despite looming deadlines. The Ohio Redistricting Commission, dominated by Republicans, is tasked with drawing the state’s 15 U.S. House districts. Democrats have accused the GOP of deliberately delaying the process to maintain their advantage, while Republican leaders insist they want public input before unveiling any proposal. Ohio’s current map, which gives Republicans a 10-5 edge, has been declared unconstitutionally gerrymandered twice, but voters were still required to use it in recent elections.
Back in North Carolina, the redistricting process is set to accelerate as lawmakers return to Raleigh the week of October 20. Both Berger and Hall have vowed to “defend President Trump’s mandate” and prevent Democrats like Newsom from influencing the congressional majority. The outcome could reshape the state’s political map for years to come—and with it, the national balance of power in Congress.
As the October session approaches, all eyes will be on North Carolina’s General Assembly. For now, the battle lines are drawn, and the fight over who gets to draw them is far from over.
