STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
The political battle over redrawing congressional maps is escalating.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Yeah, President Trump started it. He wants new districts drawn to ensure that Republicans win more congressional seats next year, regardless of how people vote. Vice President Vance traveled to Indiana yesterday where he discussed redistricting with the state's GOP leaders. Now, the battle began in Texas, where Democratic lawmakers fled the state to try and block Republican-led redistricting there, and Democrats are responding in states they control.
INSKEEP: So much is happening across the map, so let's work our way across the national map with NPR's Ashley Lopez. Ashley, good morning.
ASHLEY LOPEZ, BYLINE: Good morning.
INSKEEP: Where does Texas stand?
LOPEZ: Yeah. So as of now, dozens of Texas Democratic lawmakers, like, remain scattered across the country in places like Illinois, Massachusetts and New York. And, I mean, as long as they stay out of Texas, Republican lawmakers can't move forward with their plans to redraw the state's congressional map and give their party up to five more seats. I mean, and this is why in the past day or so, we've seen Republican leaders ramp up efforts to either force Democrats to come back to Texas or even remove them from office.
INSKEEP: How can they do that?
LOPEZ: Well, I mean, let's start with forcing them back, right? So soon after Texas Democrats broke quorum, GOP leaders issued civil arrest warrants for those Democrats. But state law enforcement doesn't have jurisdiction outside of Texas, so Republican U.S. Senator John Cornyn asked the FBI to step in. And he said yesterday that the FBI has approved that request, though, it's unclear what role the FBI even has here.
And as far as removing Democrats from office, I mean, this is a tougher lift. But both the governor and the state attorney general are turning to the courts to declare seats vacant for Democrats who've fled. They have said Democrats are derelict of their duties. And, I mean, we might find out what's next today because Republicans are set for another quorum call at the Capitol.
INSKEEP: OK. A mentioned Indiana.
LOPEZ: Yeah.
INSKEEP: Vice President Vance was there talking with Republican state leaders. What happened?
LOPEZ: So he spoke to state leaders, and they signaled that redistricting was something that they talked about. And, you know, I think this signals that this is a political arms race now, and the White House does not intend to lose. After Texas began efforts to redraw its map, a lot of Democratic states responded by saying they will look for ways to draw more favorable seats for themselves, as well. And since then, the race has been on. I mean, let's start with Ohio. They need a new map because of a state law, and Republicans control the process there. And then there's Florida. Yesterday, the state house speaker announced a new redistricting committee, and we know the White House has reached out to Missouri lawmakers. And, of course, Indiana is now on that list, and Vance's visit, it - I mean, it's just a testament to how seriously the administration is taking this and how much they want to stack the deck in their favor.
INSKEEP: It's really interesting because some of these states have overwhelmingly Republican congressional districts. So they're looking only for another seat or two, but that could...
LOPEZ: Yeah.
INSKEEP: ...Make a difference. What are Democrats doing in response?
LOPEZ: Well, I mean, the big state to watch here is California. They are also looking at adding five seats that are favorable to their party. Governor Gavin Newsom wants voters to approve a ballot measure that would change their congressional map for the next three election cycles. A ballot measure is needed because the state, you know - along with a lot of various other Democratic-led states, I should say - have independent redistricting commissions, and this would be a way around that particular hurdle in California. Democratic leaders, in general, say they are willing to upend past practices in order to fight back. A great example of this is New York Governor Kathy Hochul. She said in a press conference recently that, like, she's tired of fighting with one hand tied behind her back on this. And I think, in general, you are seeing Democrats back off from defending good government measures in the face, I mean, on what they say is Republicans breaking the rules for their benefit.
INSKEEP: NPR's Ashley Lopez. Thanks so much.
LOPEZ: Yeah. Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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