Redistricting Update: Rhode Island Finalized; 8 States Remain Incomplete
By 270toWin Staff
February 22, 2022, 8:23 AM ET
On Friday, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee (D) signed the congressional redistricting bill advanced to his desk by the Legislature. The map is little-changed from the one in place over the past decade.
Democrats, who completely controlled the redistricting process, did not take advantage of an opportunity to improve the partisan lean of District 2, where incumbent Jim Langevin (D) is retiring. Although it strongly favors Democrats, the district is somewhat more competitive than District 1. Republicans, who haven't won a U.S. House seat in the state since 1992, will attempt to contest it this year. Former Cranston Mayor Allan Fung is the most well-known of several Republicans to jump into the race.
Rhode Island shapes have been added to the 2022 House Interactive Map.
Eight states, with 98 districts, remain incomplete. This includes North Carolina, where the Legislature has passed a new congressional map to replace the one thrown out by the State Supreme Court as a partisan gerrymander. A three-judge panel has until this Wednesday to rule on the constitutionality of the new plan. Candidate filing, suspended by the prior court action, is scheduled to resume on February 24.
| State (Districts) | Comments |
| Florida (28) | The state is gaining a district. The state Senate overwhelming approved a plan. A redistricting subcommittee in the state House has advanced its own map; it has not yet been voted on by the full chamber. The process was temporarily put on hold after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) asked the Florida Supreme Court to provide an advisory opinion on whether District 5, the only Black opportunity district in the northern part of the state, must remain largely intact. On February 10, the Court ruled that it would not provide such an opinion. DeSantis has submitted two maps of his own and is threatening to veto any map that doesn't split District 5. |
| Louisiana (6) | A map approved by the Republican-led Legislature is now with Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards. The new plan largely maintains the status quo including, notably, a single majority-Black district. Democrats, including Edwards, favor the addition of a second majority-minority district given that Blacks now comprise about 33% of the state's population. If the governor vetoes the map, a two-thirds vote in each chamber would be required to override. |
| Missouri (8) | The Missouri Senate has tabled discussions on a map, passed by the state House, that largely maintains the status quo 6-2 Republican edge. Some conservatives in the Senate have pushed for a more aggressive map that would 'crack' Kansas City. This would likely yield a 7-1 map, as that scenario would make it much more difficult for Democrat Emanuel Cleaver to hold his seat. |
| New Hampshire (2) | The Republican-controlled state House approved a map that would make District 1 more favorable for the party. The Senate has not yet taken action; GOP Gov. Chris Sununu has asked that chamber to modify the House map to make both districts more competitive. |
| North Carolina (14) | The state is gaining a district. See discussion above the table. |
| Ohio (15) | The state is losing a district. Returned to the incomplete list after the State Supreme Court invalidated the enacted plan, calling it an unconstitutional Republican gerrymander. The legislature was unsuccessful in its attempt to redraw the map, punting the effort to the Ohio Redistricting Commission. The Commission will have 30 days, beginning February 14, to draw a new map. |
| Pennsylvania (17) | The state is losing a district. The Democratic-controlled Pennsylvania Supreme Court has taken over the redistricting process. Commonwealth Court Judge Patricia McCullough, a Republican, is serving as a special master in the process. She has recommended a map that was previously passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature but vetoed by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf. A hearing was held February 18. |
| Wisconsin (8) | In November, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed the map passed by the Republican-controlled legislature, passing the process to the State Supreme Court. The Court held a daylong hearing last month to consider various proposals. |
