David,

Your point is well taken that upcoming gubernatorial races will have a major effect on the post-2010 redistricting cycle and thus on the partisan balance in the U.S. House (and, I might add, state legislatures). You are also correct to say that Republicans would really like to snag the open seat for North Carolina governor in 2008, a big-state office they haven’t won since 1988. However, the two aren’t linked. When North Carolina governors finally got the veto power (just a few years ago, by the way) redistricting bills were specifically excluded.