For my redistricting recaps, I’m slowly building an outlook of the upcoming 2022 U.S. House races. Once I’ve covered all 50 states’ new maps, we’ll have a full House seating chart that displays each party’s outlook in the midterm elections, tallying the number of incumbents as well as both open and competitive seats.

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Oregon: +3 Dem (1 swing), +1 GOP, 2 Open Seats

• Oregon was the first state in the nation to approve new congressional districts and is one of six states to gain a US House seat.

Colorado: +3 Dem, +3 GOP (1 swing), 2 Open Seats

• Colorado also gained a House seat following the reapportionment process. The state’s independent redistricting commission prioritized competitiveness in the creation of the new district.

New Mexico: +2 Dem incumbents, +1 GOP (Dem lean)

• New Mexico’s new congressional districts were borne out of a community involved redistricting process. The state’s Citizen Redistricting Commission developed proposals through negotiations with advocacy groups across the state. After receiving the commission’s recommendations, Democrats in the state legislature made adjustments that made the map slightly more favorable to their party.

Maryland: +6 Dem, +1 GOP (swing), 1 Open Seat

• Despite Maryland’s history with gerrymandering allegations, Democrats created yet another convoluted map with districts that snake across the state. The new map creates three majority nonwhite districts, an important feature for a minority-majority state.

Nevada: +3 Dem incumbents (3 swing), +1 GOP

• Democrats have complete control of the redistricting process in Nevada. Much attention was paid to Las Vegas’s many ethnic communities to ensure adequate representation and prevent legal challenges.

Today’s Final Score: +17 Dem, +7 GOP, 5 Open

🚨 Gerry’s Watch 🚨

• Nevada is facing a partisan gerrymandering lawsuit brought forth by a Republican state assemblyman for allegedly diluting the power of rural voters.

• Maryland is facing two partisan gerrymandering lawsuits, brought forth by Republican legislators and their voters separately.

• New Mexico is facing a partisan gerrymandering lawsuit, brought forth by… (you get it at this point…) Republicans.

Reminder: Partisan gerrymandering cases are adjudicated in state courts, not federal courts. The cases adhere to each state’s individual laws and/or constitution. Ohio’s recent case serves as a handy guide. Ohio voters approved clear redistricting rules via a constitutional amendment: no maps that “unduly favors” any party nor those that “unduly split governmental units” like townships and counties. The outcome of the cases above will be dependent upon how well mapmakers followed the unique rules in each state.