Following a Monday announcement from the US Census Bureau, California is set to lose one congressional seat for the first time in the state's 170-year history. Experts have attributed the loss, in part, to migration out of the state stemming from housing shortages and high costs. Despite losing a House seat, California remains the most populous state in the country with a population that grew by 2.3 million since the last census in 2010 and the largest congressional delegation with 52 seats. Nationally, Republicans are likely to benefit from these census results, with the political power-center of the country steadily shifting away from Democratic strongholds to Republican strongholds. While Republicans will control redistricting in states like Texas, Florida, and North Carolina, in Democratic-controlled California, Virginia and Colorado, independent commissions will be in charge of redrawing the maps. Given these demographic shifts, Republicans need only to win 5 more seats than they won in 2020 to take back control of the House from Democrats.
