Some GOP lawmakers have criticized the mid-decade effort by Texas Republicans to redraw the state’s congressional boundaries.
As the redistricting arms race heats up, a handful of Republican lawmakers have been critical of the Texas GOP’s effort to redraw its state’s congressional boundaries.Why It Matters
Texas, with the support of President Donald Trump, kicked off the redistricting battle with a map that would place five Democrats in districts he won by double digits in last year’s election. That effort is on pause as Democratic legislators left the state to deny a quorum for a vote. But other states, led by Democrats and Republicans, could follow suit.What To Know
Some Republicans have criticized states like California and New York mulling redraws but have not commented on Texas. But at least three Republican members of Congress have voiced opposition to Texas’ redistricting efforts while also criticizing Democratic states’ efforts to redraw their maps.Representative Kevin Kiley, California
Kiley has introduced a bill that would prohibit any state from engaging in mid-decade redistricting.
During an interview with WBUR, Boston’s NPR affiliate, on Friday, Kiley voiced opposition to the Texas efforts.
«I don’t think gerrymandering is a good thing. I think it’s a problem wherever it occurs, whether it’s in a Republican state or a Democrat state, and I especially think it’s bad when it’s happening in an unscheduled way, as we’re seeing right now», Kiley said.
When asked about whether it is appropriate for Texas Democrats to be pressured to return—whether by threats to remove the lawmakers who left the state from office or have the FBI locate them—Kiley said people watching the redistricting battle are thinking, «This is nuts.
