North Carolina Republicans Move to Redraw Congressional Map Ahead of 2026 Midterms

North Carolina Republicans are moving to redraw the state’s congressional districts next week, aiming to secure an additional Republican seat in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) said Monday that House and Senate leaders had reached an agreement on a new map. “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.

The effort requires only a simple majority vote in both chambers, which the GOP currently holds. The plan is not subject to a veto by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, and courts are unlikely to intervene. Both the U.S. Supreme Court and the North Carolina Supreme Court have previously ruled that partisan gerrymandering is not within their authority.

Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said the move is part of a broader effort to protect Republican control of Congress. Hall pointed to Democratic redistricting in other states, including California, as justification for North Carolina’s mid-decade map.

Democrats criticized the plan as a power grab. House Minority Leader Robert Reives (D-Chatham) called it “stealing a congressional district” and said Republicans are prioritizing politics over funding for Medicaid and other state needs. Gov. Stein said the effort “fails voters."

Governor Josh Stein released a statement late Monday. “The General Assembly works for North Carolina, not Donald Trump. 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," Stein said. "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.”

North Carolina’s current congressional delegation already leans heavily Republican, with a 10-4 majority. Only Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) holds a competitive seat, winning by less than 2% in 2024. A recent poll by Common Cause North Carolina found 84% of voters oppose gerrymandering, including 78% of Republicans.

Advocates for independent redistricting, including North Carolina For The People, warn that repeated mid-decade map changes undermine public trust and democracy.

The General Assembly plans to vote on the new map during its scheduled October session, setting up a contentious debate over political control and voter representation ahead of the 2026 elections. Candidate filing opens in December.