
New Jersey Governor Doesn't Rule Out Redistricting That Could Target GOP
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said this week he is not ruling out the possibility of redrawing the state's Congressional districts to counter Texas Republicans' redraw efforts.
However, any attempt at changing the Garden State's Congressional boundaries will face a major legal roadblock, Dan Cassino, professor of government and politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University, told Newsweek.
"The New Jersey Constitution explicitly forbids a mid-decade redistricting, unless the state's districts are struck down by a court, so the odds of New Jersey redistricting are slim to none," Cassino said.
Newsweek reached out to the New Jersey Democratic and Republican parties, as well as Murphy's office, for comment.
Why It Matters
Democrats and Republicans are facing a growing "arms race" over Congressional redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections after Texas Republicans, with the support of President Donald Trump, entered a special session to address their redraw. Trump has said he'd like to see Republicans gain five new seats from the process.
Democrats are now responding by warning they could redraw Congressional lines in blue-leaning states. California Governor Gavin Newsom has said the state could retaliate, and Murphy has not ruled it out, he told reporters this week. These redistricting battles could have key implications for the midterms, when Democrats are hoping to win back a House majority.
What To Know
Murphy said on Monday there are no current plans to alter New Jersey's district lines but that it is "too early" to make a definitive statement on the matter, reported The New Jersey Globe. He also said it could be a conversation for Democratic governors in upcoming meetings.
"I suspect as the Democratic governors get together for a drink or a coffee, this will be high on the agenda," he said.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy speaks in Asbury Park, New Jersey on November 3, 2021.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy speaks in Asbury Park, New Jersey on November 3, 2021.
EduardoHowever, Democrats would have needed to have already started the process of changing the law if they wanted to redraw their boundaries by next November, Cassino said.
"Of course, this is Jersey, so the fact that something wouldn't be strictly legal hasn't always stopped folks from trying things in the past, but this would also require gutting the bi-partisan committee that redraws the districts, so it's not something that could be forced through easily or without a great deal of controversy," he said.
It could also be risky to Democratic incumbents, he said.
"Moreover, while you could draw one more Dem-leaning district in the state, you could only do so by making some existing districts a lot more competitive: the exact opposite of what Democrats proposed in 2020, when they shored up Dem districts, at a cost of making one district more friendly to Republicans. That would be dangerous, if not in 2028, then in later elections, where it would leave Democrats vulnerable to a wave election," he said.
Currently, Democrats hold nine of the state's 12 Congressional districts and are targeting New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District, a battleground held by Republican Representative Tom Kean.
Additionally, Democratic Representative Nellie Pou represents a Trump-won district based around Paterson, which was once a Democratic stronghold but shifted to the right last November. Democratic Representatives Herb Conaway, Josh Gottheimer, Frank Pallone and Mikie Sherrill all represent seats that former Vice President Kamala Harris won by a single-digit margin last November.
Redistricting 'Arms Race' Ahead of Midterms
Texas Governor Greg Abbott called for a special session that began on Monday to address several topics of concern, including redistricting.
Republicans are hoping to thwart losses in the midterms. Historically, the party in the White House loses seats during the midterms. In 2018, Democrats gained 41 seats to reclaim control of the House.
Newsom responded to the news about Texas' redistricting in an X post earlier this month, writing, "Two can play this game."
However, California has an independent redistricting committee, passed by the state's voters in 2010, so it's not clear if the state could legally do so. Many Democratic-leaning states similarly have independent commissions, limiting the party's ability to respond to the move from Texas.
There are other potential redraws in Ohio, where Republicans are hoping to make a few Democratic-held seats more conservative, and Utah, where Democrats are hoping to see a newly drawn Salt Lake City seat that would lean to the left.
What People Are Saying
Dan Cassino told Newsweek: "I don't think that there is going to be any serious attempt to redraw the districts before 2030, but I don't think any such attempt would make much of a difference in the gubernatorial election. These sort of process issues rarely resonate with New Jersey voters, and anyone who is paying attention right now is paying a lot more attention to the news out of Washington"
Lakshya Jain of Split Ticket wrote on X on Sunday: "This is some of the most speculative cope I've seen. Democrats don't have a House majority in Minnesota right now and would likely require amendments in California, New York, New Jersey, and Washington."
What Happens Next
With the Texas special session underway, blue states will continue exploring ways to counter the redraw effort. Any attempt to alter New Jersey's map faces significant legal barriers, however.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Post
18 minutes ago
- New York Post
Mikie Sherrill dodges again on Mamdani, drawing fire from Ciattarelli and GOP
Democrat New Jersey gubernatorial hopeful Mikie Sherrill once again sidestepped questions about whether she will go across the Hudson River to endorse socialist Zohran Mamdani's mayoral candidacy, despite previously expressing interest in him. 'Look, I haven't weighed in, I haven't made endorsements in New York because I'm running in New Jersey,' Sherrill told PIX11 News on Friday. Two days after the New York City mayoral primary, Sherrill had a different tune, telling NBC 10 Philadelphia that she assumed she would back him and voiced interest in his plans to 'deliver efficient government.' Democrats in New York and the tri-state area have scrambled over how to navigate Mamdani's shock win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) last month, given his far-left agenda. Top leaders such as Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have refrained from endorsing Mamdani — for now. 3 Mikie Sherrill has echoed the strategy of top New York Democrats in evading questions about Zohran Mamdani. REUTERS 3 Zohran Mamdani has struggled to win support from establishment Democrats. Andrew Schwartz / Republicans have seized their silence and sought to use Mamdani's victory to help boost their otherwise dim prospects in the off-year elections. New Jersey Republican gubernatorial contender Jack Ciattarelli quickly ripped into Sherrill for sidestepping on Mamdani and highlighted how she expressed interest in him shortly after he won the Democratic primary during a June 26 interview. 'First Mikie Sherrill endorses Zohran Mamdani and calls his radical policies 'interesting'… now she's pretending she never heard of him? Come on, Mikie — NJ voters aren't stupid,' Ciattarelli chided on X. 'Roll the tape. You said it. You own it,' he added with a compilation of Sherrill's responses to questions about Mamdani. The Republican Governors Association also blasted Sherrill. 'New York's failures become New Jersey's problems,' the RGA swiped. '[Mikie Sherrill] said she'd support Mamdani saying, 'If he's the Democratic candidate, which it sounds like he is, I assume I will.' Now, she's acting like she doesn't know him,' the GOP group said on X. Mamdani is the favorite to win the Big Apple mayoral primary, though he still faces general election competition from Mayor Adams, Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Sherrill, a former Navy pilot who rode the blue wave to Congress in 2018, has sought to portray herself as a moderate Democrat. She first arrived in the House in 2019 with fellow national security buffs Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), who is the favorite in the Virginia gubernatorial primary. All three women had fashioned themselves as centrists and touted their national security backgrounds. 'I will tell you here, people are deeply concerned about the affordability that I've laid out,' she added to PIX11 News, after evading a question on Mamdani. 'They want to see the plans and policies that are going to make a difference and [have] a sense that what Trenton is doing in the entrenched interests there and the regulations and the red tape and the bureaucracy are not delivering for them.' 3 Republican Jack Ciattarelli is facing an uphill battle against Mikie Sherrill, though polls underestimated him during the last gubernatorial contest. AP Ciattarelli lost to outgoing New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) by a measly three points in 2021, and President Trump lost the Garden State by about six points in 2024, indicating that Republicans can be competitive in the Democratic stronghold state. The off-year election in New Jersey, alongside the elections in New York City and Virginia, are widely seen as bellwethers that could be harbingers of what's to come in the 2026 midterm cycles.


New York Post
18 minutes ago
- New York Post
Rep. Ro Khanna lashes out at Democrat establishment in fiery speech to young progressives
Rep. Ro Khanna sounded off on the Democratic Party establishment in his address to the Voters of Tomorrow Summit for young progressives in Washington, D.C. 'How can we trust government to do big things when government has been corrupted? My friends, for those who want a progressive future, for those who want a government that works to build security and opportunity for the working class, we must get rid of the big money in politics,' Khanna said in his address on Friday afternoon. Advertisement The California Democrat then mentioned the Jeffrey Epstein files, which have become a major point of debate in Washington as some demand more information about the case. 'We must restore a government for the people, by the people, of the people. The release of the Epstein files is not a magic cure for trust, but it is a first step. 'It's a first step to say we will have a new era of transparency,' he continued. Khanna then bluntly called out his party's establishment in his closing call to action. Advertisement 'I'll end with this clear point: The old guard needs to go. The old ways have not been working. This party needs a new rebirth. This party needs a rebirth to stand for human rights,' he said. 'This party needs a rebirth to stand for the working class. This party needs a rebirth to stand for people over the donor class.' 3 Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., speaks to the City Club of Cleveland, in Cleveland, April 14, 2025. AP Former Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to give virtual remarks at the summit on Friday, and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi was also a major speaker at the event. 'We have no doubt that we will win the election with the House of Representatives,' Pelosi said during her speech. 'No doubt.' Advertisement 'It's important to be strong in the year in advance, because that's when the troops line up. We have our messaging, we have our mobilization, we need the money to do it, but they go only next to a school to hold up the most important part: the candidate,' she continued. 3 Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi also addressed the gathering of young Democrats. Getty Images Younger Democrats, like freshman Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari and Illinois congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, took part in panels at the summit. Khanna's address comes as the Democratic Party is striving to navigate the second Trump administration and adapt to the major shifts that occurred across voter demographics in the 2024 election, including among Generation Z. Advertisement The 2026 election is being seen as an opportunity to get more information about Gen Z voters, as many voted for the first time in 2022 and 2024. Some in the party have encouraged a more moderate direction, while others have echoed Khanna's populist sentiment. 3 Demonstrators gather in front of City Hall during a 'No Kings' protest following federal immigration operations, in Los Angeles, California, on July 4, 2025. AFP via Getty Images 'This party needs a rebirth to find our courage in standing up for immigrant rights instead of running away when people talk about immigration. This party needs more people like you in Congress than the current people we have in Congress,' Khanna added. 'I'm here to say that a new Democratic Party, a reborn Democratic Party, a populist Democratic Party, a multiracial Democratic Party, a Democratic Party that centers the working and middle class, a Democratic Party that looks like the future is a Democratic Party that can lead us back to victory and lead us to a better America. 'It's time to take back our party and then to take back our country,' he continued.


New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Nick Offerman does not want to ‘pick an argument' with Trump-supporter co-star Dennis Quaid
Actor Nick Offerman said last week he wasn't looking to have a political squabble with his 'Sovereign' co-star Dennis Quaid over President Donald Trump. 'Dennis Quaid is a fantastic actor whom I've looked up to my whole life, and he [is] better in this film than almost anything I've seen him in,' Offerman said in a response on Reddit to a commenter asking about how he deals with Trump supporters like Quaid. Offerman had made an 'ask me anything' post on the site inviting users to inquire about 'Sovereign,' his new film with Quaid about an anti-government extremist and his son, and an eventual police standoff. 'We didn't have a lot of time together on set, so the context wasn't really conducive to digging into settling the world's problems, or even just those of America. 'Good morning, Dennis. How about those Epstein files? Anyway, want to run our lines,'' Offerman added. The actor, famous for his role as Ron Swanson on 'Parks & Recreation,' said he believes those who voted for the 47th president are good people, even though he disagrees with them. 4 Nick Offerman at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 8, 2025. Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock 4 Dennis Quaid attends the photocall at the 71st Taormina Film Festival on June 13, 2025 in Taormina, Italy. Getty Images 'Dealing with Trump supporters in the world is something I try to handle with nuance, because I know many others around the states who are very good people and citizens and would give you the shirt of their back,' Offerman said. 'They are on the receiving end of an absolute firehose of misinformation, so it's really cognitively dissonant (impossible) to engage in rational discourse.' He has said that his libertarian 'Parks and Recreation' character would have 'despised Trump,' and he thinks Republicans trend toward fascism. 4 Dennis Quaid spoke at one of Trump's rallies in California ahead of the 2024 election. 'I think we're all wrong about a lot of things, but the reason I lean left is because at the end of the Republican plan is austerity and literal fascism, sad military muscle parades and mounted troops in the LA, the coolest city in the world, and all the rest of the current bed-s—tings, and at the end of the Democrat plan is health care and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for everybody,' he said. 4 Sovereign movie starring Nick Offerman and Dennis Quaid. Briarcliff Entertainment Offerman added that he wanted to work with Quaid and leave politics out. 'No matter who we voted for, it requires all of us (including an overwhelming number of immigrants) to make the great bounty this country produces, and is then so disproportionately pocketed by the ultra-wealthy, so I am not going to pick an argument with Dennis Quaid over our political leanings because I'm going to shake his hand and try to make a great film,' Offerman said.