Hakeem Jeffries (AP)
US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday said Democrats are prepared to expand gerrymandering efforts in blue states in response to Republican redistricting moves being encouraged by President Donald Trump, reported news portal Politico.Speaking to CNN’s State of the Union, Jeffries said Democrats have already acted in California after Texas Republicans approved a new congressional map that could give them five additional seats in next year’s midterms. “Right now, this has happened in Texas. California has responded,” Jeffries said. “Let’s see what comes next,” as quoted by the portal. The redistricting developments signal a fresh phase of partisan map-drawing battles, with Texas Republicans acting on Trump’s push for GOP-led states like Indiana and Missouri to secure more seats through mid-decade redraws. In California, Democratic governor Gavin Newsom is leading efforts to add five new seats, with a special election likely in the fall for voter approval.Jeffries hinted that if Republicans escalate their redistricting strategy, Democrats could follow suit in other blue states. However, some states present institutional hurdles. New York, for example, has an independent redistricting commission that cannot be overhauled until 2027, limiting immediate options for Democrats there. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, also seen as a potential 2028 contender, has little room to expand as the current map already heavily favours Democrats, who hold 14 of the state’s 17 seats.Despite the redistricting standoff, Jeffries downplayed concerns about Republican gains, citing the 2018 midterms when Democrats flipped 41 seats during Trump’s presidency. “As Democrats, we’re going to focus as well on fixing our broken health care system and cleaning up corruption,” Jeffries said. “So we have an affirmative agenda that is compelling that we will continue to present to the American people. The Republicans have failed. That is why they are running scared.”
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