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Democrats Embrace Gerrymandering as Redistricting Battles Rage Across the Country

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As the war over congressional district maps intensifies, top Democrats, including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, are increasingly advocating for partisan redistricting efforts, embracing the previously reviled practice of gerrymandering. This shift comes as Republican-controlled legislatures in states like Texas and elsewhere seek to redraw maps to maximize their party's power. Democrats, including lawmakers in New York and Texas, are responding with similar moves to protect their own interests, citing the need to counter the Republican push.

Key Takeaways:

  • New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed abandoning the state's Independent Redistricting Commission, which was enacted by voters in 2014, to let Democrats redraw maps to maximize their power.
  • Hochul's statement contradicts more than 15 years of advocacy by progressives in her own party, who pushed for an independent process after New York Republicans drew favorable districts that helped them maintain power in the state Senate until 2019.
  • Democratic state lawmakers from Texas have fled the Lone Star State to deny the legislature a quorum for the redistricting measure, inspiring Hochul to explore every option to redraw New York's lines before the next planned redistricting in 2032.
  • Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed to replace the absent lawmakers, calling the Democrats' move "unprecedented" and "bad for democracy." Abbott accused the Democrats of trying to "hijack our democracy."
  • The current state of affairs in New York and Texas reflects the national trend of Democrats and Republicans engaging in a redistricting battle.
  • Good-government groups, such as the New York Public Interest Research Group and Citizens Union, have expressed concerns about the current process, with some urging lawmakers to prioritize fairness over partisan interests.

Statistics:

  • The Independent Redistricting Commission in New York has deadlocked twice before, resulting in an extension of the 2020 census deadline.
  • The New York State Court of Appeals knocked out Democrat-drawn maps in 2022, citing anti-gerrymandering language.
  • Texas currently has 219 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives and 212 Democrats.
  • The Texas delegation has 25 Republicans, 12 Democrats, and one seat vacant.

Sources:

  • Hochul, Kathy. Press release, July 21, 2024.
  • "Texas Republicans are Orchestrating a Mid-Decade Congressional Redistricting." NPR, July 21, 2024.
  • Abbott, Greg. Press statement, July 2024.
  • Plesa, Mihaela. Interview, July 21, 2024.
  • "NYS Redistricting Fight is Complicated, Thank Andrew Cuomo." Gothamist, July 2024.
  • "Back to the Drawing Board: NYS Top Court Rejects Congressional District Maps." Gothamist, July 2024.
  • "Court Finalizes New NY Congressional, State Senate Maps." Gothamist, July 2024.
  • Holder, Eric. Press release, July 2024.

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