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The North Carolina House approved a new congressional map on Wednesday (October 21), designed to give Republicans an additional seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The map, passed with a 66-48 vote, is part of Senate Bill 249. Members of the public were escorted out of the chamber following protests before the vote. State law prevents Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat, from vetoing redistricting legislation, though litigation over the map is anticipated.
The new map targets a district currently held by Democratic Representative Don Davis, one of three Black members of Congress from North Carolina. The redistricting aims to secure 11 out of 14 U.S. House seats for Republicans, up from the 10 seats they currently control. State Representative Marcia Morey, a Democrat from Durham, criticized the process, calling it "map warfare."
Republicans have openly acknowledged the map's intent to support President Donald Trump. Representative Jimmy Dixon from Warsaw urged support for the proposal to help Trump "make America great again." North Carolina joins Texas and Missouri in redrawing lines to benefit the GOP, with seven new Republican-friendly districts created this year.
The redistricting effort is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to bolster Republican control in the U.S. House ahead of the midterm elections. State Senate leader Phil Berger defended the move as a way to protect Trump's agenda. However, Democrats, including Governor Stein, have denounced the redistricting as an abuse of power.
The new map is expected to face legal challenges, similar to those in Texas and Missouri, where new maps have also been drawn to favor Republicans.