Could Kentucky join the Trump-led push to redistrict for more GOP House seats?
The eyes of the nation are on Texas as it pursues an unorthodox mid-decade redistricting effort to try and increase the number of GOP-held U.S. House districts.
The unusual move was conceived by President Trump to preserve Republicans’ control of the US House of Representatives when the 2026 mid-term election is held. GOP Texas legislators are poised to roll out the redistricting plan, even if Texas Democrats disagree with it.
Though it is also led by a Republican legislature, Kentucky seems unlikely to join Texas, the first of several states President Donald Trump is pushing to redistrict to benefit the GOP U.S. House majority.
Kentucky is already represented by five Republicans and one Democrat in the U.S. House. The lone Democrat is Louisville-based 3rd Congressional District Rep. Morgan McGarvey.
If the words of leadership in the Republican-held state House and Senate are any indication, McGarvey’s seat is probably safe for now.
“We haven’t talked about that at all,” House GOP Whip Jason Nemes said. “It’s been discussed around the country, but not here.”
The Middletown Republican played a key role in the Republican-led state House redistricting effort in 2022. The state GOP already held 75 seats in that chamber, but it gained five more during the 2022 cycle and kept that number in 2024.
The Kentucky Democratic Party sued the legislature over the state House and U.S. House maps, but failed in a Kentucky Supreme Court ruling.
Dustin Isaacs, a spokesperson for Senate Republican leadership, suggested that redistricting in the 2026 session was a “nonstarter.”
“With the next session being a 60-day budget session, I would give the odds of that happening somewhere around a zero percent chance,” Isaacs wrote.
Laura Leigh Goins, a spokesperson for GOP state House leadership, said in a statement that Republicans were “heavily focused” on crafting the next two-year budget the legislature is required to pass this upcoming session.
A spokesperson for McGarvey declined to comment.
Texas is not the only state considering redistricting for a partisan effect.
Leadership in such Democratic states as California, Illinois, New York and Maryland have expressed interest in their own redistricting if Texas proceeds with its plans to add five more GOP-leaning seats.
The Texas plan is currently being stymied by Democrats fleeing the state, a move that has denied the legislature its required quorum.
Other Republican states openly considering the move include Missouri, Indiana, Ohio and Florida.
Outside of McGarvey, Republican Congressmen James Comer, Brett Guthrie, Thomas Massie and Hal Rogers all represent districts generally regarded as safe Republican seats. Andy Barr’s 6th Congressional District is considered to stay “likely Republican” by top political prediction site Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball.
Barr is pursuing the vacancy that will be left by Sen. Mitch McConnell, who is not seeking reelection in 2026.
Several Democrats and Republicans, including current and former state lawmakers, have stepped forward to run for the seat. Some Democrats see an opening to flip the seat given that Barr is leaving.
This story was originally published August 7, 2025 at 4:50 AM.
