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Democratic leaders convened a special session of the Virginia legislature on Monday to consider redrawing congressional electoral maps in their party's favor, while Indiana's Republican governor summoned lawmakers to weigh a similar plan next week at the behest of President Donald Trump. Virginia and Indiana were poised to become the latest battlegrounds in a mid-decade redistricting war, instigated by Trump, that could play a pivotal role in the outcome of next year's congressional elections.

Virginia Democrats are launching an effort to redraw the state’s congressional districts, positioning themselves in direct response to Republican-led redistricting maneuvers in states like Texas and North Carolina. Speaker of the House of Delegates Don Scott announced that lawmakers will convene a special session in Richmond on Monday to begin discussions on the proposed changes to the state’s congressional map. Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell told The New York Times, which first reported the story, “We are coming back to address actions by the Trump administration.”

Democratic lawmakers launched an extraordinary special session of the Virginia General Assembly on Monday to consider a constitutional amendment to redraw the state’s congressional districts, leaving Republicans howling with protest but unable to stop — or, in some cases, understand — what was happening. Leaders said the move is a blue-state counterpunch to President Donald Trump’s push to create more Republican districts in red states before next year’s midterm elections to help the GOP hold onto its slim U.S. House majority.