Raleigh, North Carolina - A federal court in North Carolina has given the green light to Republican-drawn electoral maps designed to give the GOP a boost in the 2026 midterm elections.

The US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina found that plaintiffs "have not made a clear showing that the General Assembly likely enacted S.B. 249 with the intent to 'minimize or cancel out the voting potential' of black North Carolinians," according to the 57-page ruling.

"We therefore deny their motion for a preliminary injunction on their Fourteenth Amendment intentional vote dilution claim."

The panel – comprised of three Republican-appointed judges – added that plaintiffs "have offered no reason to believe that the speed of the 2025 [redistricting] process indicates an intent to discriminate on the basis of race."

The new map – passed by the North Carolina legislature in October – is expected to help Republicans gain an additional seat in the US House in next year's midterms. It particularly takes aim at the state's 1st congressional district, which has elected a Black representative since 1992.

Democratic Representative Don Davis, who currently holds the seat, said in a statement, "Although the court's decision keeps North Carolina at the center of this national mid-decade redistricting battle, we will continue to show eastern North Carolina families why they matter most."

"We remain unwavering in our focus on lowering rising costs, creating good-paying jobs and affordable healthcare, addressing trade policies that affect our farmers, and maintaining a strong stance on national security. We will not let these blatant power grabs silence the voices of eastern North Carolinians," the congressman added.

Wednesday's ruling applied to two lawsuits which alleged North Carolina's new maps violate the US Constitution and the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

The enactment of new North Carolina maps comes amid fierce mid-cycle redistricting battles as the Trump administration pressures Republican-led states to take action to maintain a GOP majority in the House in 2026.

Texas has already approved new maps designed to deliver five additional congressional seats to Republicans. A US district court threw out the redrawn map, saying it amounted to racial gerrymandering, but the US Supreme Court has temporarily paused the block while it considers the case.

Missouri and Ohio have also adopted new maps designed to increase Republicans' odds of retaining House control.

In response to Texas, California voters this month green-lit a redistricting plan, known as Proposition 50, that would likely add five Democratic seats. The temporary new district lines would remain in place for the next three election cycles until the state's independent redistricting commission meets again.

Trump's Justice Department has joined a lawsuit by California Republicans challenging the measure, claiming it "racially gerrymandered" congressional districts in violation of the US Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment.