Republicans in places like Texas are moving to revise congressional districts in their favor for the 2026 cycle, prompting New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to announce she is seriously thinking about revisiting her state’s redistricting, even in the face of legal obstacles.
Governor Says She’s Considering All Paths
“We do a redistricting every 10 years, but there are other states that are violating the rules,” Hochul remarked at a recent Buffalo press conference. “All I’ll say is I’m gonna look at it closely with Hakeem Jeffries.”
Her statement follows intense competition across the country for control over the U.S. House of Representatives, where the GOP currently holds a slim 219-212 lead plus four seats currently vacant.
Texas Republicans have started redrawing electoral boundaries to reinforce their advantage, with Hochul warning that New York Democrats shouldn’t be passive.
Legal Obstacles May Limit Plans
But redistricting analysts argue New York’s options are limited. State law only allows new congressional maps once a decade except through a constitutional amendment, which needs two successive ballot votes—a difficult task before 2026.
“When there’s political will, sometimes you can find a way to do something. It’s just way harder than it is in Texas,” according to Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at University of Virginia.
The Empire State is still coming to terms with the fallout from its last redistricting process, where the courts threw out Democrats’ 2022 map for being too partisan. A revised map was only finalized this year.
Democrats Gauge Political Stakes, GOP Signals Lawsuits
Democratic strategists contend Hochul’s suggestion is a way to fight back politically. “You can no longer bring a knife to a gunfight with these congressional Republicans,” political consultant Trip Yang told State of Politics. He advises targeted map adjustments that make districts more Democratic without provoking lawsuits.
Yet the GOP is readying for court if Democrats try. “I think you could expect a full legal battle, not just from Republicans, but good government groups,” said Peter Giunta, chair of the NYS Young Republicans.
Giunta added that Democrats may have an image issue. “Voters are voting Republican, and are a lot more open-minded to voting Republican, because of how woke some of the policies from the left have become,” he argued.
With Hochul up for reelection, her next steps could have significant nationwide repercussions.
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