A nonpartisan watchdog group, which previously told The Hill it was against blue states doing mid-decade redistricting in response to a battle playing out in Texas, is now signaling some openness to the tactic. Common Cause said in a statement Tuesday it would not “endorse partisan gerrymandering even when its motive is to offset more extreme gerrymandering by a different party,” but it also added that “a blanket condemnation in this moment would amount to a call for unilateral political disarmament in the face of authoritarian efforts to undermine fair representation and people-powered democracy.”

The group said it was establishing standards by which it could be assessing states’ maps, including proportionality, public participation, racial equity and federal reform, among other aspects.

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