During Monday’s airing of CNN’s “The Source,” Representative Lloyd Doggett from Texas addressed the assertions made by Texas State Representative Brian Harrison, a Republican, who pointed out that Democratic states like Illinois have engaged in gerrymandering. Doggett emphasized that what Texas is experiencing is not a consequence of Illinois’ actions in the last Census. Instead, he attributed it to an order made by Trump. Doggett also expressed his support for nonpartisan citizen commissions across the nation.
Host Kaitlan Collins posed a question to Doggett, asking if Harrison had a valid point regarding Illinois’ 13th district and its peculiar boundaries. She inquired whether such district shaping shouldn’t be permissible in Texas as well, given its precedents in places like Illinois.
Doggett replied by outlining that Illinois had its chance to gerrymander following the last Census. He noted they effectively safeguarded their political standings, resulting in a scenario where out of 38 seats in Texas, Democrats had challenges in all but perhaps one. He clarified that the situation is driven not by Illinois’ example but by Trump’s directives. Doggett voiced approval for Governor Newsom’s actions and reiterated the need for nonpartisan commissions nationwide. He argued against having fairness solely in Democratic states while rampant gerrymandering favors presidential interests in places like Texas. He stressed the importance of maintaining fairness to prevent the House from falling into more compliant Republican hands as a result of any electoral victory by Donald Trump.
