Interest in the midterm elections has developed even earlier than usual this cycle, largely due to redistricting battles. Six states have already taken the unusual step of redistricting between decennial censuses, with several more states actively considering it. Their goal, of course, is to gerrymander House districts for 2026. California alone may net five extra seats for Democrats, thanks to its new district lines.

What is sometimes forgotten in the restricting debate is the role that immigration plays in distorting representation, effectively worsening the effects of gerrymandering. Mass immigration distorts both apportionment, which is the distribution of House seats among states, and redistricting, which is the drawing of legislative boundaries within states.