Lawler Critiques Texas Gerrymandering Efforts

Representative Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York, expressed his disapproval of the recent actions taken by Texas Republicans concerning their new congressional district map. During an appearance on CNN, he stated, “I think what Texas is doing is wrong. I don’t support that. I think it’s wrong.”

Lawler drew parallels between Texas and other states like Illinois and New Jersey, which have also faced criticism for similar practices. He emphasized the importance of having neutral districts, arguing that it would benefit the country as a whole.

He revealed plans to propose legislation aimed at completely banning gerrymandering, a practice that has been around in the U.S. for over 200 years. “This is basically why Congress is broken,” he remarked, pointing out that the lack of competitive districts leads many members to focus primarily on primary elections, neglecting broader general elections.

Lawler’s remarks come as he campaigns for re-election in a key House district in New York, where Democrats are making efforts to unseat him in a bid to regain control. Notably, Democrats experienced a decline of over six points in that district during the last election.

Meanwhile, Texas Democrats took action over the weekend to undermine Republican efforts by denying the quorum needed for legislative proceedings as the GOP works to push through the new congressional boundaries. In a related development, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued threats against Democrats during his third day of a trip that involved redrawing the state’s congressional map, a change that came at the request of former President Trump. This rezoning was added to Governor Greg Abbott’s special session agenda, which typically wouldn’t see such redistricting until after the census, indicating a strategic move by the Republicans.