The Democrats Brazen Hypocrisy on Texas Redistricting

After endless partisan gerrymandering by Democrats all over the Country, when Texas works to do something similar, prominent Democrats cry foul.

Democrats in the Texas Legislature were carted to Illinois to try to prevent the Texas Legislature from considering redistricting in the Special Session called by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. While there, the AWOL Texas Democrat legislators, and other prominent Democrat politicians all over the Country, claimed the effort by Texas Republicans to redistrict is “cheating,” “outrageous” and a “threat” to democracy. As usual, the Democrats are guilty of what they accuse Republicans. Democrats are the ones who conduct partisan redistricting all over America. When they gerrymander districts, however, they claim that is “democracy at work.” Here is the truth.

Some Background about the U.S. House, Apportionment and the Census

The redistricting issue in dispute in Texas right now involves Congressional redistricting. This involves drawing the lines for the districts for people who run for seats in the United States House of Representatives in Texas. Under the United States Constitution seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are apportioned (or divided up) among the States based on population. Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution calls for the “Enumeration” of Representatives in the U.S. House to be made “. . . every subsequent Term of ten Years . . .:”

This requirement for the “Enumeration” of Representatives in the U.S. House predicated on population every 10 years is the basis for the United States Census. Thus, every 10 years the number of seats in the U.S. House gets “redistributed” (or apportioned) to the States with some States getting more and some getting less or staying the same depending on population loss or gain.

The Constitution does not set a number of U.S. House members, however, since The Apportionment Act of 1911 the number of U.S. House members has been set at 435. The U.S. Census Bureau succintly summarizes the process:

After the 2020 Census, the State of Texas wound up with 38 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, out of the total of 435. Interestingly, the U.S. Census Bureau itself admitted substantial errors were made in the 2020 Census benefitting Democrats, of course (don’t all government errors benefit Democrats?), such that President Trump ordered the Federal Government to conduct a new census.

The Governor of Texas recently called a Special Session during which, among other things, the Legislature is to consider “Legislation that provides a revised congressional redistricting plan in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.” The Special Session agenda also calls for the Legislature to address flood relief for the recent catastrophic floods in the Texas Hill Country.

The preliminary proposed new Texas Congressional map which aims to flip 5 Democrat-held U.S. House seats to the GOP. (The article linked to above includes an interactive map of the proposed new TX U.S. House districts. Give it a look.) This is what Democrats are hopping mad about:

Texas Democrat Legislators go to Illinois

Democrats in the Texas State Legislature do not have the votes to stop Governor Abbott and the GOP, so most of them left the State, with the majority going to Illinois, to deprive the Texas State House of a quorum. Quorum is defined by the Texas State House website to require 2/3rds of House members to be present for the House to conduct business:

In short, by leaving the State of Texas and refusing to attend the Special Session, these Texas Democrats can stop the Texas State Legislature from conducting business since less than two-thirds of the chamber would be present.

Democrats Slam the Texas Plan, GOP and Trump with Hateful Rhetoric

J.B. Pritzker, the (morbidly obese) Governor of Illinois is leading the charge attacking Texas Governor Abbot, President Trump and Republicans. Governor Pritzker is giving interviews, one after another, making nasty, vile comments about Republicans. Gov. Pritzker claimed Texas Governor Abbott is “licking the boots” of President Trump and that the redistricting is “cheating” and “outrageous.” The Associated Press qouted Governor Pritzker claiming the effort in Texas is “. . . rigging the system against the rights of all Americans for years to come.” Other Democrats are piling on.

U.S. Senator Padilla’s false claim

One of California’s U.S. Senators, Democrat Alexa Padilla was quoted by California Governor Newsome’s office claiming “Donald Trump is planning to steal the 2026 election - plain and simple - by calling on Governor Abbot to rig the congressional maps in Texas.” (What in the world is this guy talking about?)

CA Governor Newsome’s radical comments

Democrat California Governor Gavin Newsome claims he will call the California State Legislature in to redraw its districts again and said:

NY Governor Hochul’s nonsense

Democrat New York Governor Kathy Hochul vowed to gerrymander congressional maps in New York (again) based on the fight in Texas and claimed:

Gov. Hochul further described the effort as a “legal insurrection against our Capitol” and claimed if the Republicans are going to “. . . rewrite these rules to give themselves an advantage . . ., then we must do the same.” (Keep Gov. Hochul’s extreme commentary in mind when I address her claims below. You will be blown away by this person’s brash dishonesty.)

MA Governor Healey’s hyperbole

Democrat Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said this about the Texas redistricting:

Governor Healey further claimed Massachusetts has “no choice,” but to gerrymander its districts for Democrats in retaliation.

The Truth is the Democrats Love Gerrymandering When They Do It

As I will demonstrate, the Democrats ALREADY “gerrymandered” many of these States to heavily tilt the playing field in favor of the Democrats.

First, what is “gerrymandering?” Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing political lines to favor a particular political party. The name is derived from Massachusetts Governor Eldridge Gerry (a Founding Father and signatory of the Declaration of Independence) who signed a bill in 1812 creating a “misshapen” Massachusetts district. The Boston Gazett published an article entitled “The Gerry-Mander” with a drawing of the district to look like a monster:

According to an article in 1892, the word “Gerry-mander” originated at a dinner party back in 1812 where one guest noted the district looked like a “salamander,” at which time another partygoer quipped, “No, a Gerry-mander.” The moniker stuck and is in wide use today to describe partisan districts.

The Gerrymandering in Illinois

Despite all of his holier-than-thou caterwauling, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker governs one of the most radically, pro-Democrat gerrymandered States in the USA.

The State of Illinois had 18 U.S. House Districts prior to the 2020 Census. Here is what the 2014 Illinois Congressional Map looked like for reference:

Of the 18 Illinois U.S. House seats in 2014, 10 were held by Democrats and 8 by Republicans.

Illinois lost population and lost one House seat after the 2020 Census. Illinois then gerrymandered its Congressional Districts to create more safe Democrat seats, despite losing one overall. Here is what the current Illinois Congressional Map looks like:

The current Illinois Congressional delegation has 14 Democrats and 3 Republicans. The State of Illinois literraly gerrymandered its Congressional Districts to stack the deck in favor of Democrats. And look how the districts “snake” around? Several of them look a lot like the original “Gerry-Mander” don’t they?

The arrogance and dishonesty of the Illinois Governor with his sanctimonious criticism of the effort to redistrict in Texas describing it as “outrageous,” cheating” and “rigging the system” is unfathomable. This man has no shame.

How about the State of Massachusetts?

The Governor of Massachusetts threatened to gerrymander her State in retaliation for Texas redistricting, as noted above. Yeah? Well, that was already done a long, long time ago.

The State of Massachusetts has 9 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The State of Massachusetts drew its districts in such a way that all 9 elected Democrats. Here is the 2024 Massachusetts Congressional Map:

In fact, the last GOP House members from Massachusetts were Peter Blute and Peter Torkildsen who lost their seats in 1996. You read that right. A Republican has not held a U.S. House seat in Massachusetts in literally 29 years. Just what does this leftist Governor plan to do do gerrymander Massachusetts MORE for the Democrats?

Further, in 2024, President Trump won 36% of the vote in Massachusetts, while the Republican opponent of Democrat U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren received 40% of the vote. All of those voters are disenfranchised in the Massachusetts Congressional delegation. But, that does not bother Democrats one bit.

The Strange Case of New York

As noted above, NY Governor Hochul claims she intends to retaliate against Republicans in New York by gerrymandering of NY’s Congressional seats. What is literally unbelievable is the State of New York’s 2022 Congressional district map was REJECTED by the highest Court in the State as an illegal partisan gerrymander to help the Democrats in violation of the State Constitution. That is right, this sanctimonious leftist claims she must “retaliate” against Texas because of districts Texas has not even redrawn, when in fact her State already conducted a partisan gerrymander in violation of her State Constitution.

Her rhetoric is particularly troubling, because the Constitution of the State of New York calls for an independent commission to draw districts (subject to an override by the State legislature by a supermajority vote) and specifically prohibits drawing districts to favor political parties:

(NY State Constitution, Article III, Section 4(C)(5).) Additionally, the NY State Constitution does not allow for mid-decade redistricting. It requires the districts to be redrawn after the Census. (Texas law contains no such limitation.) Furthermore in April 2022 in Harkenrider v. Hochul New York’s highest court invalidated the State’s 2022 district map for, in part, violating the State Constitution’s prohibition on partisan gerrymandering. The Court found:

The Court found the State of New York’s 2022 Congressional map was “. . . drawn to discourage competition and favor democrats . . .” and was rejected by the Court for that very reason, yet this clown show of a Governor goes on National Television decrying alleged partisan redistricting efforts by Texas Republicans and acts as though now she must do the same thing when, in fact, the NY legislature already tried it, but was slapped down by NY courts. Unbelievable.

How “outrageous” and how “antithetical” to democracy is it for the Governor of New York to openly flaunt her own State’s Consitution? How “outrageous” is it for the Governor of New York to try gerrymandering again after already getting slapped down by the highest court in the State just a couple of years ago? How “outrageous” is it for her to act like she and NY Democrats must “retaliate” for Texas redistricting (that has not happened yet), when she and NY Democrats ALREADY TRIED a partisan gerrymander to tilt the map in Democrats’ favor and were blocked by their State’s highest court?

And how tone deaf is it for Democrats to parade this person out as a spokesperson on redistricting fights? This is literally unbelievable.

This goes beyond arrogance. Gov. Hochul is a disgusting caricature of a politician.

What about California?

Governor Newsome claims he wants to “. . . put a stake in the heart” of the Trump Administration and that he will call on the California legislature to redraw its districts in response to Texas to make California’s Congressional delegation more lopsided in favor of the Democrats. California already redrew its district lines to diminish the ability of Republicans to win seats in the U.S. House.

Before the 2020 U.S. Census, California held 53 U.S. House seats. Here is what the State of California’s Congressional map looked like in 2020:

After the 2020 U.S. Census, the State of California lost a U.S. House seat for the first time in the State's history. The loss dropped the State to 52 seats in the U.S. House. The State’s Congressional Districts were redrawn in 2021. The number of U.S. House seats held by Republicans in California dropped to 9 out of 52. Here is what the California Congressional map looks like now:

How much worse could Governor Newsome tilt the map in California toward the Democrats? Not much, by the look of it.

The bottom line is the Democrats have been radically gerrymandering districts of all kinds in favor of their Party non-stop for decades. Period. All of these “crocodile tears” they are shedding over the Texas redistricting fight are pure play acting.

Furthermore, did you know nine States have no Republican U.S. House members? That is true. Hawaii, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine. (Two more, Vermont and Delaware do not have any Republicans elected to the U.S. House, though those two States only have one House seat.) Millions of Republicans in those States have no Republican representation in the United States House of Representatives. You won’t hear CA Governor Newsome, Ill. Governor Pritzker, MA Governor Healey or NY Governor Hochul say one word about that. Republicans without representation is “democracy at work” to these radicals.

The bottom line is the Democrats have ZERO business uttering a word of protest about gerrymandering. Even one of their own Democrat Strategists, Julian Epstein, observed the Democrats do not hold the moral high ground on this issue in an interview with Fox News Live:

Epstein noted:

Well said. The simple fact is the Democrat Party long ago mastered the art of the gerrymander. The Democrats use it to great effect.

The Mid-Decade Redistricting Complaint

Their complaint that the Texas redistricting is “outrageous” and “antithetical” to Democracy because the redistricting takes place “mid-decade,” instead of right after the Census is equally frivolous. The Constitution does not mandate redistricting at any particular time. (Go back read it for yourself.) And the Democrats fail to mention the United States Supreme Court rejected an attack on mid-decade redistricting in another case involving Texas in 2006.

Democrats also fail to mention in 2019 the United States Supreme Court found partisan gerrymanders are not subject to review by federal courts. That case involved gerrymanders in two States. One was the partisan gerrymander of Maryland’s U.S. House seats in 2011. Maryland had 8 Congressional districts then, 7 were held by Democrats. Maryland’s 2011 Democrat gerrymander eliminated the one and only Republican district out of the State’s eight (8) Congressional districts. That was one of the cases the Supreme Court ruled on in 2019. The Supreme Court ruled nothing could be done about it.

Have you ever heard any Democrat anywhere speak one derogatory word about the fact Democrats in Maryland in 2011 gerrymandered away the ONLY Republican U.S. House district in the entire State? No, you have not. That is because none of these caterwauling politicos care one bit about any power but their own. Their only complaint is Republicans are using the gerrymander this time.

Conclusion

The Democrats are the masters of manipulating the boundaries of political districts to benefit themselves. They are only whining and crying now because the Republicans are finally fighting “fire with fire,” to borrow from CA Governor Newsome. This entire dust up over the Texas redistricting is pure political theater and more gamesmanship by Democrats who falsely claim to be grossly offended by partisan gerrymandering. Worse, the Texas Democrat State House members are using this political theater to hold up flood relief for the Texas Hill Country. Could you imagine how the Fake News Media would be hyperventilating about stalled disaster relief if the GOP did such a thing?

As usual, the Democrats themselves are guilty of what they accuse Republicans. In fact, most of these Democrat Governors are elected in States which are already gerrymandered to the hilt.

As for Governor Newsome and California, its districts are drawn by an independent commission, so the Governor won’t have as easy a time as he thinks trying to retaliate against Texas. (Read this article if you want an idea of the mechinations this leftist will resort to in his effort to circumvent the law in California). The same is true for the State of New York which also uses an independent commission for redistricting (which the legislature can override by a supermajority vote) and due to the State Constitution, as noted above. NY Governor Hochul will need to amend the State Constitution first or her next partisan, pro-Democrat gerrymander will get struck down like the last in 2022.

Do not fall for the Democrats and their propaganda. Republicans in Texas are the ones fighting fire with fire. For far too long, Republican-controlled States allowed the Democrats to play dirty with redistricting and did nothing about it. Those days are over. That is what the Democrats are really crying about.

(My latest book Fake News Exposed: 25 of the Worst Media Lies about Conservatives, Guns, COVID and Everything Else is available at Amazon. You may also pick up a copy of one of my other books at Amazon as well.)