President Donald Trump asked Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) to call the state legislature in for a special session where they could approve new congressional maps that would redraw district lines in favor of Republicans. That began a partisan back-and-forth, with Democratic states such as California and New York threatening to redraw their maps in favor of Democrats. The process of redistricting is complicated and time-consuming, and not every state that has floated middecade redistricting is legally allowed to do so. This Washington Examiner series, “Power Lines,” will investigate the process, its local implications, and the hurdles the middecade redistricting effort helmed by national political figures will face in court. Part 1 is an in-depth look at how redistricting works in different states. Part 2 investigates why Democrats are disadvantaged in the redistricting battle after the 2010 midterm elections. Part 3 covers the legal considerations of Republicans’ efforts to rewrite Texas’s map. Part 4 looks at the elected House members caught in the crossfire as the standoff escalates.

The summer of redistricting continues, with more states threatening to redraw their district lines to maximize partisan advantage, and more members of Congress caught in the crossfire.