Overlooked Partisan Gerrymandering in Illinois Amid Texas Democrats’ Actions
Many major media outlets have missed an important angle regarding partisan gerrymandering in Illinois as Texas House Democrats have left the state to obstruct a Republican initiative aimed at changing district boundaries.
This past Sunday, a significant number of House Democrats vacated Illinois, denying the necessary quorum to pass a new Congressional map that could potentially hand the GOP as many as five additional seats. This dramatic move has garnered considerable national attention, primarily focusing on the actions of Texas lawmakers.
Currently, Illinois is seen as one of the states heavily affected by gerrymandering, especially under the oversight of Governor JB Pritzker, who is rumored to have presidential ambitions for 2028.
Reports from CBS News highlighted that several Texas lawmakers, feeling they are “fighting for a representative democracy,” are prepared to deal with any repercussions stemming from their departure. However, the media coverage neglects to mention that Illinois’ map provides Democrats with an overwhelming advantage; in fact, they hold 82% of the Congressional seats despite only securing 43.5% of state votes in the 2024 election.
One recent headline from Politico noted how Texas Democrats are standing firm from their hotel rooms while facing potential arrests from Governor Abbott. Yet, it skipped over the crucial context regarding gerrymandering back in Illinois—the very state they’ve sought refuge in.
The Illinois governor is threatening new gerrymanders. But he has already created the most awful and shameful jerrymander in the country! pic.twitter.com/6z99hhh4gx0
– Tom Cotton (@tomcottonar) August 4, 2025
The New York Times has reported that Texas Republicans are working on a significantly altered Congressional map, with Pritzker weighing his own responses to these changes. Still, the article avoids mentioning that the current Illinois map severely restricts further political maneuvering.
Back in 2021, Pritzker approved a redistricting plan that secured 14 of Illinois’ 17 Congressional seats for his party.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post’s piece titled “The Battle of the Texas Election Maps Swells into a National Political War” portrays Texas Democrats as being compelled to redraw their own map due to Republican actions, thus overlooking the long-standing gerrymandering practices in Illinois.
“Pritzker is a hypocrite,” said Kathy Salvi, the Illinois Republican chairman. “Instead of grandstanding for the 2028 presidential election, he should address the gerrymandering issue right in his own back yard.”
The state legislature in Illinois is responsible for drawing the maps, which can lead to unfair advantages as lawmakers essentially choose their voters. Princeton University’s Gerrymandering Project assesses various Congressional maps for partisan biases, and Texas received a noteworthy “F,” alongside Illinois’ troubled map.
Joe Tabor, a director of legal studies, noted that while he appreciates Pritzker’s recent anti-Republican stance, the threats made seem more like a political ploy than genuine concern for Illinois voters.
Pritzker faced questions about his state’s map on Stephen Colbert’s late-night show, where Colbert humorously likened one of the districts to a scorpion. The governor joked that the confusing map looked like it had been drawn by kindergarteners.
Interestingly, Pritzker had previously committed to eliminating partisan maps and even campaigned to change the constitution to set up an independent commission for drawing district boundaries. He expressed the need for such reforms years ago.
However, now, six years later, those changes remain unrealized.
“Governor Pritzker is missing a chance to be genuine,” said Tony McCoby, the Illinois minority leader. “Illinois was one of the first to engage in this gerrymandering game, and yet, he chose to go back on his campaign promises rather than uphold fair representation.”
As of now, Pritzker’s office has not responded to requests for comments on these allegations.
