The brewing war over redistricting is underscoring the increasing importance of state legislatures heading into the midterms.

Texas Republicans unveiled a new set of proposed House lines on Wednesday, creating five more Republican-friendly districts ahead of 2026. Legislators in states like New York and Maryland are similarly beginning to take measures into their own hands amid the redistricting tit-for-tat.

The broader turmoil over changing congressional lines is putting a fresh spotlight on state legislatures’ ability to shape federal politics, though some experts say national donors still need to pay more attention to local races.

"So local races and state House races, state Senate races have always mattered,” said Republican strategist Jimmy Keady, who’s worked on state legislative races.

“They’re just becoming more important in the long run, because now they're directly influencing representation that is happening in the federal space. And I think the smart candidates are talking about that,” he added.

Texas Republicans finally issued their proposal for a new House map, which will have major implications for lawmakers representing areas near Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and the southern border. The Texas GOP currently holds 25 seats while Democrats hold 12. One other seat, represented by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas), awaits a replacement in a special election this November.

The new map would add five House seats that would have gone for President Trump by double digits, increasing the possibility Republicans increase their majority in the congressional delegation to 30 House members.

While the map........

© The Hill