And joining us now, Democratic State Representative James Telerico, who represents District 50, which includes much of Austin. He joins us now from Illinois. Why do you think uh that your fellow Democrats think that this is the best way to push through, push back against Republicans that are trying to redistrict.Well, usually state legislators adjust district boundaries at the beginning of a decade to account for population changes after a new census. Texas Republicans did that in 2021, four years ago, and ...

Redistricting and Political Strategy - The Texas State House is expected to reconvene soon, but Democrat lawmakers have relocated to Illinois and intend to remain there until August 19th, the end of the special session, to obstruct the redistricting process [2][3] - Texas Republicans risk diluting their own votes by creating five additional Republican seats through redistricting, a tactic they have employed before [7][8] - Escalation is a risk, as states like New York, California, and Illinois might engage in mid-decade redistricting, potentially causing Republican members to lose seats [9] - The redistricting process is highly political, with state legislators often drawing districts to benefit themselves, contributing to hyper-polarization and partisanship [18][19][20] Democratic Response and Concerns - Democrats view the Republican redistricting plan as unjust and inconsistent with census data and traditional redistricting practices, harming voters and undermining democracy [16][17] - Some argue that Democrats must "fight fire with fire" and take aggressive action, including changing state constitutions, to counter Republican efforts [11][13][14][15][25] - The increasing gerrymandering on both sides has led to fewer moderates in Congress, as politicians prioritize winning primaries over general elections, harming moderate voters [22][23][24] Impact on Texas and Voters - The special session was initially called to address the flooding response, and there is potential anger that the redistricting fight has taken precedence [26][27][28] - The redistricting efforts could lead to blowback for both Republicans and Democrats in Texas [26] - The absence of independent commissions dealing with redistricting is likely a reality, making the process even more political [18]

A Republican congressman in California announced today he will introduce new legislation to try to pro prohibit mid decade redistricting like this all across the country. NBC Sahil Kapoor is following that for us. Tell us more about this new bill and the chances of it moving forward.>> So, first off, Chris, there's no bill just yet. This is an announcement by secondterm Republican Kevin Kylie, who represents a competitive district near Sacramento, about a bill he says he will introduce tomorrow. Second, it' ...

Mhm. >> We turn now to the situation in Texas where that state's governor, Greg Abbott, is threatening to remove from office Democratic lawmakers who have fled the state to block redistricting efforts. More than 50 Democrats left the state yesterday afternoon, a move that will prevent the Texas House from having enough members needed to consider and pass legislation.They say they plan to stay out of Texas until August 19th when the special session called by the governor comes to an end. Abbott added redistr ...

Here in New York, we will not stand on the sidelines with the timid souls on the sidelines who don't care, will not invest their their heart and soul into this battle. This is a war. We are at war.And that's why the gloves are off and I say bring it on. That is New York Governor Kathy Hokll earlier this hour welcoming Texas Democratic lawmakers to her state after dozens of them fled the Lonear State to block a vote on new congressional maps. The redistricting plan backed by President Trump could help Republ ...

I'm wondering this special se session is supposed to be about the flooding. Do people in Texas understand are they getting the message that this was a special session that was supposed to be about flooding that has turned into Donald Trump's request to gerrymander the state. I mean, do you when when you talk to people in Texas, are they angry.How do they feel about this. I think people in Texas, Democrats and Republicans alike, understand exactly what is going on. This is a power grab under the pretense in ...

Political Landscape & Redistricting - Republicans in Texas redrew congressional maps potentially adding up to five GOP seats [1] - Governor of California is promising a new map to boost Democratic seats in response [1] - The Senator suggests redistricting is an attempt to rig the system due to Republican policy concerns [3] - Some warn that such actions could erode trust in the system [3][4] Key Arguments & Stances - The Senator argues that Trump's policies are the reason for seeking more Republican seats [2] - The Senator believes Texas should stand down from redistricting efforts [5] - California and others will consider options to defend their beliefs about America [7] Potential Risks & Concerns - The Senator expresses concern over the economic stakes, the state of democracy, the health of institutions, and checks and balances [6] - A state assembly member warns against "trying to save democracy by destroying democracy" through gerrymandering [4]

Joining us now, former Congressman Betto Oorc of Texas. Congressman Oor, this map is pretty much a done deal as soon as Tuesday. So, what is the fight going to look like for Democrats in Texas.>> It's not a done deal. the state house Democrats can leave the state, break quorum, deny their Republican counterparts the numbers necessary to certify these maps and hold elections that would essentially steal five congressional districts in the state of Texas. My hope is that they will do this and not only deprive ...

Joining us now, semaphore politics reporter Dave Wigle, Punch Bowl News co-founder and MSNBC political contributor Jake Sherman, staff writer for The Atlantic and MSNBC contributor Mark Lieovich, and former North Dakota senator and MSNBC contributor Heidi Hydeamp. Thank you all for being with us. Jake, starting with you, this new Texas map targets Democratic US House members in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and in South Texas as well.Is this a done deal. Um will the how will the current representatives how are t ...

Redistricting and Political Strategy - Texas Republicans are aiming to gain five seats in the next midterm elections through a new congressional map, initiated by Governor Greg Abbott at the urging of President Trump [1] - The proposed maps would have favored President Trump in 30 out of 38 seats, each by more than 10 percentage points [2] - California Governor Gavin Newsom is considering redrawing congressional lines to favor Democrats if Texas Republicans proceed with their map [3] - Republicans are openly aiming to give Trump more seats, rather than focusing on fairness or constituent representation [5][6] Gerrymandering and its Consequences - The practice of gerrymandering, intensified by computer-based redistricting since the 1990s, leads to extreme partisanship and less need for representatives to appeal to a broad range of constituents [8][9][10][11] - Gerrymandering results in uncompetitive districts (e g, 90/10 or 80/20 party affiliation), where primary wins are more crucial than general elections, pushing House members to extremes [9][10] - In Wisconsin, gerrymandering after the 2010 election led to Republicans controlling 60-65% of the state legislature despite a roughly 50/50 split in the popular vote [24][25] Legal and Voter Perspectives - Democrats may challenge the Texas maps in court, arguing that they eliminate majority-minority districts, violating the Voting Rights Act, but face challenges in Texas courts [13][14] - Some Democrats suggest abandoning the concept of majority-minority districts to maximize the number of seats they can win [15] - Voters generally oppose politicians drawing districts to prevent themselves from losing, but the presentation of ballot initiatives can influence their perception [20][21] Potential National Implications - The redistricting efforts in Texas could trigger an "arms race," with some Democrats suggesting similar tactics in blue states like New York and California [17] - There is growing pressure on Democratic leaders to adopt more aggressive redistricting strategies, mirroring Republican tactics, to maintain political power [27] - Some fear that the current trend is leading to an increasingly polarized and "ugly" political landscape, where both parties prioritize partisan advantage over fairness [28][29]