President Donald Trump has threatened to primary any and all Republicans who vote against redistricting their state’s congressional maps in order to secure more Republican seats in the House of Representatives. On Meet the Press on Sunday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) was asked if he supported redrawing maps mid-decade. (Traditionally, maps are redrawn once every ten years, according to demographic data collected in the U.S. Census.)
Sen. Paul answered by first saying that both parties are responsible for the current redistricting battles. He said: “You know, it’s escalation on both sides. You know, both sides are doing it so is one side gonna sit quietly and not do it. You can argue who started it.”
[Note: When Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, controversially redrew his state’s maps this summer with the goal of adding five Republican seats, California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom countered with his Prop 50 to redistrict the state, which received 64.4% approval in a popular vote.
More recently, Indiana legislators invited Trump’s anger by refusing to redistrict according to the President’s wishes, prompting broad threats to Republicans there, a majority of whom voted against the move. The break with the White House stirred Vice President JD Vance to warn “that level of dishonesty cannot be rewarded, and the Indiana GOP needs to choose a side.”]
Rand Paul on mid-decade redistricting: "I think it's gonna lead to more civic tension and possibly more violence in our country. Think about it: if 35% of Texas is solidly Democrat and they have 0 representation, how does that make Democrats feel? I think it makes them feel like… pic.twitter.com/j6BqAuj6fK
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 14, 2025
Paul added: “I think that it’s gonna lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country. Because think about it: if 35% of Texas is Democrat, solidly Democrat, and they have zero representation…how does that make Democrats feel? I think it makes them feel like they’re not represented.”
Paul added that if we come to that, “it makes people so dissatisfied they think the electoral process isn’t working anymore, maybe we have to resort to other means, and I don’t want that.”
Professor Dakota Rudesill of Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law responded to Paul: “Here’s an idea: design districts to give the plurality of voters – Independents – their due. Make 43% of districts evenly R/D to ensure Independent vote is decisive. Make 28% lean D and 28% lean R. Good bet national politics would pull hard toward the center. Worth a try?”
Here's an idea: design districts to give the plurality of voters – Independents – their due. Make 43% of districts evenly R/D to ensure Independent vote is decisive. Make 28% lean D and 28% lean R. Good bet national politics would pull hard toward the center. Worth a try? pic.twitter.com/8UcPrDvepX
— Dakota Rudesill (@DakotaRudesill) December 15, 2025
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