by Ben Whedon
North Carolina Republicans on Wednesday approved a new set of congressional district maps that added an additional GOP-leaning seat at the expense of an incumbent Democrat.
The state Senate approved the new slate on Tuesday, with the House following suit on Wednesday. Gov. Josh Stein, D-N.C., does not have the authority to veto redistricting legislation, according to CNN.
The Old North State has typically skewed Republican in recent election cycles, though the state has a longstanding habit of installing a Democratic governor and a Republican legislature.
The new maps are expected to give the GOP an 11-3 edge in congressional representation. Republicans have moved nationwide to redraw more favorable congressional maps in red-leaning states in a bid to strengthen their House majority for the 2026 midterms.
North Carolina is not the only state that has redrawn its congressional maps. Texas passed a new congressional map that gave Republicans five more seats, but it is currently undergoing a legal challenge. In California, state residents may soon be able to decide whether they want the state to draw a new congressional map that would give Democrats an additional five seats.
Last month, Missouri signed into law a new congressional map, but, like in Texas, it is undergoing a legal challenge.
Other states considering redrawing their congressional maps include Indiana, Nebraska, Kansas, Utah, Louisiana, Maryland, and Florida.
Ohio is required by law to redraw its congressional map this year.
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Ben Whedon is a reporter for Just the News. Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network and contributed to this story.
