Governors Take Sides in Battle Over Redistricting

Governors Gavin Newsom of California, JB Pritzker of Illinois, and Kathy Hochul of New York have been at the forefront of the Democratic Party's fight against President Trump's efforts to redraw voting maps in Republican-controlled states, trying to gain an advantage in the 2024 elections. While some governors, like Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, have chosen to stay on the sidelines, others have taken a more direct approach. Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has gone as far as backing an extreme partisan gerrymander in her state, should Texas pass its proposed maps, which would eliminate any chance for Democrats to regain balance in Washington.

Key Takeaways:

• Governors Gavin Newsom of California, JB Pritzker of Illinois, and Kathy Hochul of New York have emerged as leaders in the Democratic Party's fight against President Trump's redistricting efforts.
• The Texas Democrats who fled to Illinois in an effort to block a Republican-led redistricting effort have been welcomed by Democratic governors, with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker declaring, "We are messing with Texas."
• While some governors, like Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, have chosen to stay on the sidelines, others have taken a more direct approach, with all using whatever power they have to fight against Republican efforts to gain an advantage.
• Governors like Gavin Newsom of California and Kathy Hochul of New York have made it clear that they will not allow Republican-controlled states to gerrymander their maps.
• Even groups like Common Cause, which has long opposed political gerrymandering, have announced they will not automatically condemn Democrats for attempting to even the playing field.
• Governors who preside over divided or Republican-controlled state legislatures, like Tim Walz of Minnesota and Andy Beshear of Kentucky, have no power to redraw district lines and are navigating the complexities of opposing Trump.
• The Democratic Governors Association reacted to the redistricting efforts, with some leaders like Newsom in California and Hochul in New York taking a more vocal stance, while others, like Shapiro of Pennsylvania, have remained quiet.

Statistics:

• There are 11 governors who are Democrats.
• There are 26 Democratic state legislatures.
• The Texas Democrats who fled to Illinois numbered 52 in total.
• Only 4% of the U.S. congressional districts are competitive.
• Approximately 50 million residents are living in districts to the benefit of the Republican party.

Sources:

• Reid J. Epstein and Nick Corasaniti. "Divided Democrats are fighting over redistricting issue." New York Times. August 14, 2022
• Reid J. Epstein and Nick Corasaniti. "What happens in Texas is a national crisis. " New York Times. August 14, 2022