‘We are facing an existential crisis’: Redistricting rocks the race for the nation’s bluest House seat - Politico

An open-seat primary in Philadelphia — long considered the nation’s bluest House seat — has turned into a test case for how recent court rulings and mid‑decade Republican mapmaking threaten majority‑Black representation nationwide. Candidates, activists and former lawmakers warn the erosion of Voting Rights Act protections and aggressive Southern redistricting have raised existential stakes for local races, forcing Democrats to weigh tradeoffs between preserving Black districts and winning more seats. The contest underscores the broader strategic shift within the party toward harder‑edged state counterattacks and targeted messaging to blunt GOP gerrymanders.