Fact-check analysisVerified as of August 13, 2025Curated by FactVerify
Mostly True

New England is 40% Republican, yet the Republicans hold 0 seats in Congress; let's talk about gerrymandering.

While Republicans constitute a significant portion of the New England electorate, they currently hold no congressional seats from the region largely due to district boundaries that favor Democrats, a situation widely attributed to gerrymandering.

Redistricting wars: Map shows how many seats could change before midterms - Newsweek

Redistricting wars: Map shows how many seats could change before midterms - Newsweek

Source: newsweek.com

At a glance

Key Evidence

Verified August 13, 2025
The reporting

What the Evidence Shows

The claim that New England is about 40% Republican but holds zero Republican congressional seats is broadly accurate in the current political context. Multiple analyses confirm that although Republicans receive substantial statewide vote shares, often around 30-40% or more, they fail to secure any House seats in New England. This discrepancy is largely explained by how district lines are drawn, which tends to concentrate Republican voters into fewer districts or spread them thinly across many, diluting their electoral impact.

Gerrymandering in New England has been characterized as heavily favoring Democrats, making it one of the most gerrymandered regions in favor of a single party in American history. This has resulted in Democratic dominance in congressional representation despite a sizable Republican voter base. The practice involves manipulating district boundaries to create safe seats for Democrats and reduce Republican competitiveness.

However, it is important to note that gerrymandering is not the sole factor; demographic and political trends also contribute to Democratic strength in New England. Still, the evidence strongly supports that partisan redistricting plays a critical role in the lack of Republican congressional seats relative to their voter share.

In summary:

Republicans make up roughly 30-40% of voters in New England states.

Republicans currently hold zero congressional seats from New England.

District maps have been drawn in ways that favor Democrats, a classic example of gerrymandering.

This results in an electoral outcome where Republican votes do not translate proportionally into seats.

This analysis aligns with recent expert commentary and research on the topic.

Primary trail

Verified Sources7

DAVID MARCUS: Democrat New England is the most gerrymandered region in American...

foxnews.com
Open source

Gerrymandering in the United States

en.wikipedia.org
Open source

How Gerrymandering Tilts the 2024 Race for the House

brennancenter.org
Open source
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