In battle over redistricting, competition is the biggest loser

FILE PHOTO: Polling place on election day in Durham, North Carolina
FILE PHOTO: Signs direct voters into a polling station during the 2020 U.S. presidential election in Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, U.S., November 3, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Drake/File Photo

By Joseph Ax and Jason Lange

Republican and Democratic lawmakers across the United States are drawing political maps that will likely deepen polarization and encourage more extreme candidates by eliminating competitive congressional seats, a new Reuters analysis shows.