Constrained avenues for Democrats to counteract if Texas Republicans redesign the congressional district boundaries
In the lead-up to the 2022 midterm elections, Democrats are grappling with significant challenges in redrawing legislative maps. This comes as Republicans actively reshape districts in red states to secure a narrow House majority.
Disadvantaged Starting Position
Republicans control many red states and use their state legislatures to redraw maps in their favour. For instance, in Texas, they aim to create up to five new winnable GOP seats, putting pressure on Democrats' chances to regain the House majority.
Nonpartisan Redistricting Commissions
Many Democrats have embraced independent redistricting commissions, which limit partisan gerrymandering. However, this approach also restricts Democrats’ ability to retaliate or respond quickly when Republicans redraw maps to their advantage, leaving Democrats with fewer options for direct countermeasures.
Calls for Retaliation but Limited Recourse
Democratic leaders, including some governors like Wisconsin’s Tony Evers, have expressed urgency and willingness to "do whatever we can" to counter Republican steps. However, their hands are largely tied by existing redistricting frameworks and political realities in many states.
Efforts to Overturn or Reform State Redistricting Models
Some Democrats, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, are pushing to reform or overturn existing independent commissions to regain political control over redistricting. This reflects a strategy to regain leverage in redrawing maps for future cycles.
Legal Challenges
Democrats and allied groups are also pursuing litigation to challenge maps they view as unfairly drawn. This legal avenue aims to mitigate some Republican gerrymandering but is often time-consuming and uncertain.
Divided Responses
Democrats are divided over how to respond to the actions of Republicans. While some are pushing for a national redistricting panel to remove partisanship from the process, others are calling for retaliation against Republicans in defiance of state limitations.
Maryland's Response
In response to the redrawing of the U.S. House map in Texas, Democrats in Maryland are planning to introduce legislation to trigger the redrawing of congressional lines.
Public Opinion
The redrawing of district maps, or gerrymandering, is highly unpopular with the public, according to Dan Vicuña, the director of redistricting for Common Cause. However, the urgency to counter Republican steps has led some Democrats to consider long shot efforts to overrule their commissions.
Ethical Considerations
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut has stated that Democrats should not stoop to the tactics of manipulating and distorting district maps. Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego has expressed opposition to unilateral disarmament until both parties are following the law.
Concerns over Democracy
The group Common Cause's Texas director, Emily Eby French, has expressed concern about Democrats redistricting just as aggressively as the GOP if not held in check. She fears this could deprive voters of a voice in districts whose winners would essentially be selected in advance by political leaders. Democrats say the "foundations of our democracy" are at stake in the redistricting process.
State-Specific Challenges
In New York, the state constitution bars another map this decade. Some Democrats are pushing for a national redistricting panel, while others are calling for retaliation against Republicans, but are limited by state laws. In California, the Democratic-controlled Legislature is considering redrawing California's congressional map, but would need to repeal or defy the 2008 ballot measure creating an independent redistricting commission.
In summary, Democrats are constrained by their general reliance on nonpartisan commissions and the Republican control of red states, resulting in fewer direct tools to reshape maps before the 2022 midterms. Their strategies involve a mix of legal challenges, political pressure for reforms in redistricting commissions, and planning for retaliatory map drawing in states where they can exert influence.
- The Democratic leaders are grappling with significant challenges in redrawing legislative maps due to the Republicans' active reshaping of districts in red states, such as Texas, where they aim to create up to five new winnable GOP seats.
- Democrats have embraced independent redistricting commissions to limit partisan gerrymandering, but this approach restricts their ability to retaliate when Republicans redraw maps to their advantage.
- In response to Republican actions, Democratic leaders in some states, like Wisconsin and Maryland, have expressed a willingness to counter Republican steps, but their hands are tied by existing redistricting frameworks and political realities.
- Some Democrats, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, are pushing to reform or overturn existing independent commissions to regain political control over redistricting for future cycles.
- Democrats and allied groups are also pursuing litigation to challenge maps they view as unfairly drawn, which is often time-consuming and uncertain.
- In New York, a state-specific challenge, the state constitution bars another map this decade, and Democrats are strategizing on a mix of approaches, including pushing for a national redistricting panel and considering retaliation against Republicans, but are limited by state laws.
- In the public discourse on the importance of fair and non-manipulative redistricting, Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut has expressed opposition to Democrats stooping to the tactics of manipulating and distorting district maps, citing ethical considerations.
