As Democrats aim to regain control of the U.S. House, there is speculation about how to redraw congressional maps in blue states to secure additional seats by 2026. However, Washington appears unlikely to be a battleground for such efforts, especially given the current political landscape.
Currently, Democrats occupy eight out of the ten House seats in Washington, which raises questions about the necessity and feasibility of redistricting. Key figures in the state government, including Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen and House Majority Leader Joe Fitzbibbon, express skepticism regarding any significant changes to the current map.
“There is no there, there. There’s literally no way to get the results they are talking about before the 2026 election,” Pedersen stated. He emphasized that efforts to further increase the Democratic delegation were already exhausted, suggesting that any remaining options to alter the political makeup are limited at best.
Fitzbibbon echoed this sentiment, noting, “It’s not on the table for us. We have an 8-2 delegation. It would take some very creative map drawing to get to 9-1. There’s no chance Republicans would be interested in helping us.”
With a Republican minority in the state legislature, any attempt to reconvene the bipartisan Redistricting Commission will require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. Leader Drew Stokesbary of the House Minority pointed out the improbability of such cooperation, stating, “House Republicans will not supply votes needed to reconvene the commission or try to abolish it.”
Stokesbary went on to assert that if Democrats attempted to amend the map legislatively, they would likely face legal challenges. “This is not a serious proposal. I hope Democrats try so the rest of us can have a good laugh and realize Democrat leadership is as dumb as their base thinks they are,” he added.
While Democrats nationally are considering responses to redistricting efforts in states like Texas, where the Republican-controlled legislature may redraw maps favoring GOP candidates, similar strategies in Washington pose significant hurdles. U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, acknowledged discussions about responding to redistricting challenges but stopped short of committing to a plan in states like Washington.
The situation is complicated further by specific congressional districts that would require remarkable adjustments to make them more competitive for Democrats. For instance, Republican U.S. Reps. Dan Newhouse and Michael Baumgartner hold solid positions in the 4th and 5th congressional districts, respectively. Any attempts to create a more favorable district for Democrats would necessitate extensive geographical and community reconfiguration, which could lead to convoluted district shapes.
Stokesbary also highlighted concerns about the practicality of such changes, describing a potential “Frankenmap” that would defy logical boundaries and community interests, questioning, “In order to turn one more congressional district into a winnable seat, Democrats would need to slash through counties, communities and natural geography to unite Spokane, Pullman, Walla Walla, Pasco and Yakima into a single district.”
The focus could also go towards making the 3rd Congressional District safer for Democrats. This district recently saw a surprising Democratic victory when Marie Gluesenkamp Perez defeated Republican Joe Kent in 2022—a win that was later confirmed by a recount. However, the district’s leaning remains Republican, as evidenced by President Donald Trump’s victories in the area during his presidential campaigns.
It’s also crucial to note that redistricting is a costly process, as demonstrated in 2020 when it amounted to approximately $2.65 million. The recent redistricting commission faced delays and legal challenges that complicated the process of finalizing maps.
In December 2021, the Washington State Supreme Court allowed delays in submitting maps for legislative approval. Soon after, a lawsuit arose, alleging that one legislative district’s drawing impeded Latino voters’ participation. This led to a federal ruling that mandated new boundaries, illustrating the contentious and challenging nature of redistricting.
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, addressing potential redistricting efforts by Democrats, noted that his office has not been contacted regarding any such plans. He reiterated that attempting to amend the maps without an active Redistricting Commission would be exceptionally difficult.
“It would be incredibly expensive and time-consuming to attempt any redistricting efforts in Washington without an active Redistricting Commission and with the 2026 midterms on the horizon,” Hobbs stated.
In summary, as discussions unfold around redistricting strategies in various states, Washington’s political landscape indicates limited opportunities for Democrats to alter congressional maps significantly before the upcoming elections.
image source from：kuow
