Oregon will not redraw its maps this year, a decision that might upset some progressives in the Democratic Party base, though there are reasons we will discuss later. The Democrats have been scrambling as Republicans have fully exploited the Callais decision, which restricted the rule allowing race-based congressional apportionment.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek made that decision earlier this month through her press office. The state is primarily controlled by Democrats, and they could potentially secure a seat in the upcoming midterms, but there has been no progress. The primaries have passed, which could lead to legislative drama that no side currently has the appetite for (via Portland Mercury):
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek Rules Out Redrawing House Districts — Spokesperson pic.twitter.com/VpXj6lEmQw
— NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) June 13, 2026
Oregon, where Democrats control the governor’s mansion and both chambers of the State Legislature, is theoretically one state where Democrats could possibly aim to pick up a House seat via a mid-decade redistricting effort. The state’s House delegation currently includes one Republican, Rep. Cliff Bentz, whose district covers Eastern Oregon.
Despite pressure from national Democratic Party figures and groups, that effort hasn’t happened so far. Oregon Democrats have not yet made any public move to redraw the congressional map, and Luke Harkins, Gov. Tina Kotek’s press secretary, wrote in an email to the Mercury that the governor is not considering redistricting “at this time.”
[…]
“If [Democrats] decide to do this, it’s almost certain Republicans would walk out—and they would really have to ask themselves, is the juice worth the squeeze? And I kind of doubt that they would think that it is for one district,” John Horvick, senior vice president at DHM Research, said.
What does seem clear is that Oregon will not redraw its congressional districts this year. The state’s May 19 primary is over, and unlike in Louisiana, the state made no effort to interrupt the primary to redistrict.
That means that, even if the state’s Democratic power structure was interested in redistricting, the earliest new congressional district lines could take effect would be for the 2028 election.
We’ll see if that ever happens, but for now, another blue state is choosing not to redraw its maps. Maryland was one, although that could change after the state’s primaries on June 23.
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