text: REDISTRICTING: New research shows that the GOP is making clear defensive gains in the redistricting process and shoring up solid voting districts that the party can carry into the next decade. In North Carolina, for instance, the voting population is roughly 50/50, but Republicans could end up controlling 11 of its 14 voting districts. Republicans control a majority of state legislatures and in most cases control the entire redistricting process, just as Democrats do in states where they have the majority. (AC: GOP gains in redistricting are likely to fuel a sense of urgency among Democrats to pass so-called voter protection bills, such as the Freedom to Vote Act or the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, both of which seek to expand voter rolls and voting opportunities. – M.S.) (This also presents a unique opportunity for Democrats to push for nationalizing the redistricting process as part of a broader effort to consolidate election control at the federal level. Passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act would open the door to accusations of voter suppression in redistricting efforts, ushering in federal control of the process. –