Midterm elections are almost always rough on the party in power, and that’s why President Donald Trump has been aggressively pushing GOP-led states to redraw their House maps. He wants to build a structural advantage big enough to blunt the historically predictable backlash.

But the serious money pouring into the Dec. 2 special election in Tennessee’s 7th District suggests that redistricting alone won’t spare Republicans from political pain next year. Last year, Trump won 60% of the district’s vote. A district that conservative shouldn’t require attention, let alone panic-level spending. Yet Republicans are treating it like a battleground.

The contest between Republican Matt Van Epps and Democrat Aftyn Behn has triggered a flood of GOP resources. The Trump-aligned MAGA Inc. super PAC has

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