Republicans cement hold on legislatures in U.S. battleground states: NYT

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Republicans are locking in newly gerrymandered maps for the legislatures in several U.S. 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.

"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 report added.