The Redistricting War Spells Doom for Congress’ Last Moderates

The mid-decade Congressional redistricting war that President Donald Trump triggered is likely to end without any clear partisan benefit for either party. But the cost to the country will be substantial.

Neither party is likely to net a meaningful advantage in the House of Representatives because the competing redistricting frenzies in Republican- and Democrat-controlled states have largely offset each other. But the common effect of both drives will be to further reduce the already shrinking number of “crossover” representatives — Democrats elected to the House from red states and Republicans elected from blue states. That will intensify polarization in Congress. And it will accelerate the partitioning of the country into virtually impregnable, and increasingly hostile, spheres of influence.