The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Sept. 30, 2025
The midterm gerrymandering arms race is on, with the current balance of power in the U.S. Congress 219 Republicans to 213 Democrats. Red states Texas and Missouri have finished manipulating their Congressional maps. What states are next?
Heeding President Donald Trump’s call to gerrymander more GOP seats, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed the legislature’s new Congressional map September 28th, splitting a Kansas City district to likely gain one more Congressional seat for the GOP. Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a plan August 29th gerrymandering five GOP seats. A Democratic plan in California awaits a referendum in November.
September 23rd, Democratic Kansas Governor Laura Kelly called for meetings around the state to hear public testimony on mid-decade redistricting, and avoided calling a special session. Meanwhile, the GOP, with its supermajority in the state House and Senate, needs signatures from two-thirds of the legislature to call a special session for itself, according to the Kansas Reflector.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said in August that redistricting would be QUOTE
“appropriate” but there’s been no concrete action thus far. Ohio’s redistricting committee met September 24th ahead of a September 30th deadline, according to the Ohio Capital Journal.
Governors Kelly Ayotte in New Hampshire and Kay Ivey in Alabama have said they do not support reopening the redistricting process.
We’ve linked local reporting from each state at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Gov. Mike Kehoe – Governor Kehoe Signs Missouri First Map into Law
CalMatters – Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan is on its way to voters. What you need to know
Kansas Reflector – Kansas governor urges GOP to convene public hearings on U.S. House redistricting
Kansas Reflector – Kansas Legislature closer to special session for partisan remapping of U.S. House districts
Florida Phoenix – DeSantis says it’s ‘appropriate’ to redistrict congressional districts before next election
Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio’s congressional redistricting committee meets for the first time ahead of Sept. 30 deadline
WMUR News 9 – Gov. Kelly Ayotte says she will resist White House pressure on congressional redistricting
Alabama Reflector – Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey won’t call special session to draw new State Senate map
Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause, League of Women Voters US,
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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