Members of both sides urge a step back amid TX map debate
[August 06, 2025]
By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Texas Democrats hiding out in Illinois are ramping
up their rhetoric against Republicans looking to change the map in The
Lone Star State. An Illinois Statehouse Republican said the tone needs
to be lowered.
Legislators from the Texas Statehouse arrived in Illinois Sunday night,
welcomed by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. On Monday, Texas Gov. Greg
Abbott ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest 56
Democrats who absconded from their duties by not showing up for
legislative activity.
Tuesday, Texas Democrats held another news conference in Illinois with
Pritzker where DNC Chair Ken Martin said avoiding Texas stops the vote
on a new map that’s expected to give the GOP more congressional seats in
2026.
“This is a new Democratic Party, we’re bringing a knife to a knife fight
and we’re going to fight fire with fire,” Martin said.
Illinois state Rep. Jed Davis, R-Yorkville, said Gov. J.B. Pritzker and
Illinois Democrats are hypocrites speaking against gerrymandering, as
Illinois’ maps that Democrats approved are among the worst gerrymandered
in the country. Davis said their rhetoric is too much and has already
led to dangerous confrontations.
“We did a press conference, as you know, with [U.S. Department of
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem], and they had people come out,
just so much anger and violence and right in our face
confrontationally,” Davis told The Center Square Tuesday. “What do you
expect? This is the rhetoric that our governor is putting out there.
People are going to show up.”
Pritzker said Tuesday that everything is on the table for Democrats to
work against Texas Republicans.
“If they're going to cheat, then all of us have to take a hard look at
what the effect of that cheating is on democracy. And that means we've
all got to stand up and do the right thing,” Pritzker said. “So as far
as I'm concerned, everything is on the table.”
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Democratic officials from Texas and Illinois during a news
conference Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025
BlueRoomStream
Discussing international conflicts with the Chicago Council on Global
Affairs, Illinois congressmen on both sides took a detour to discuss
redrawing state political boundaries.
Monday, Illinois U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, said Illinois
Democrats criticizing Texas Republicans is hypocritical as Illinois’
maps are criticized as deeply gerrymandered. But, LaHood warned of
opening up things mid cycle.
“I think doing redistricting halfway through the decade … I don’t think
we should necessarily get in the pattern of doing that,” LaHood told the
crowd.
Illinois U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Lakeview, said the debate should
focus on a national bipartisan fair map process that some have filed in
Congress.
“We’d be all better off if we just took a beat and looked at this piece
of legislation and said if we’re serious about this, let’s see what the
public really wants,” Quigley said on stage next to LaHood.
Democrats are highlighting their concerns ahead of the 60th anniversary
of the federal Voting Rights Act.
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