Republicans cement hold on legislatures in US battleground states

Washington, Nov 29 (IANS) Republicans are locking in newly gerrymandered maps for the legislatures in several US battleground states, The New York Times wrote in a report published recently.

"In Texas, North Carolina, Ohio and Georgia, Republican state lawmakers have either created supermajorities capable of overriding a governor's veto or whittled down competitive districts so significantly that Republicans' advantage is virtually impenetrable," the report read.

This redistricting cycle, according to the report, "builds on a political trend that accelerated in 2011, when Republicans in swing states including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan drew highly gerrymandered state legislative maps."

Gerrymandering is a tool used by both parties in swing states as well as less competitive ones, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Democrats in deep-blue states like Illinois are moving to increase their advantage in legislatures, and Republicans in deep-red states like Utah and Idaho are doing the same," the NYT report added.