Midterm elections are likely to change the calculus for post-2020 Census redistricting

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/midterm-elections-are-likely-to-change-the-calculus-for-post-2020-census-redistricting/2018/10/13/a31835b0-cefa-11e8-a3e6-44daa3d35ede_story.html

Midterm elections are likely to change the calculus for post-2020 Census redistricting
By Dan Balz
October 13 at 12:14 PM

The redistricting wars, which since 2010 have worked to the advantage of the Republicans, are about to take a potentially significant turn. The midterm elections, along with efforts in states to reduce partisan redistricting, are likely to make the post-2020 battles more competitive.

The 2010 midterm elections cost Democrats control of the U.S. House, but they also did substantial damage to the party’s strength in the states: Democrats lost hundreds of seats in state legislatures and surrendered their majority of governorships to the Republicans.

Before that election, Democrats had full control — governor, state House and state Senate — in 16 states to the Republicans’ nine, with the remainder divided. After the election, Republicans had full control in 20 states to the Democrats’ 11. Since 2010, the Republican advantage in the states has widened. Today, the GOP has full control in 25 states, while Democrats have full control in just eight, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

After the 2010 elections, Republicans flexed their newly acquired power in the states. In addition to implementing a conservative policy agenda, they worked to cement their power by drawing favorable congressional and legislative districts. Those district boundaries have given the GOP a disproportionate share of House seats, based on the overall popular vote in many states.