(The Center Square) – Texas Democrats hiding out in Illinois are ramping up their rhetoric against Republicans looking to change the map in The Lone Star State. An Illinois Statehouse Republican said the tone needs to be lowered.
Legislators from the Texas Statehouse arrived in Illinois Sunday night, welcomed by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. On Monday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest 56 Democrats who absconded from their duties by not showing up for legislative activity.
Tuesday, Texas Democrats held another news conference in Illinois with Pritzker where DNC Chair Ken Martin said avoiding Texas stops the vote on a new map that’s expected to give the GOP more congressional seats in 2026.
“This is a new Democratic Party, we’re bringing a knife to a knife fight and we’re going to fight fire with fire,” Martin said.
Illinois state Rep. Jed Davis, R-Yorkville, said Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Illinois Democrats are hypocrites speaking against gerrymandering, as Illinois’ maps that Democrats approved are among the worst gerrymandered in the country. Davis said their rhetoric is too much and has already led to dangerous confrontations.
“We did a press conference, as you know, with [U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem], and they had people come out, just so much anger and violence and right in our face confrontationally,” Davis told The Center Square Tuesday. “What do you expect? This is the rhetoric that our governor is putting out there. People are going to show up.”
Pritzker said Tuesday that everything is on the table for Democrats to work against Texas Republicans.
“If they’re going to cheat, then all of us have to take a hard look at what the effect of that cheating is on democracy. And that means we’ve all got to stand up and do the right thing,” Pritzker said. “So as far as I’m concerned, everything is on the table.”
Discussing international conflicts with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Illinois congressmen on both sides took a detour to discuss redrawing state political boundaries.
Monday, Illinois U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, said Illinois Democrats criticizing Texas Republicans is hypocritical as Illinois’ maps are criticized as deeply gerrymandered. But, LaHood warned of opening up things mid cycle.
“I think doing redistricting halfway through the decade … I don’t think we should necessarily get in the pattern of doing that,” LaHood told the crowd.
Illinois U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Lakeview, said the debate should focus on a national bipartisan fair map process that some have filed in Congress.
“We’d be all better off if we just took a beat and looked at this piece of legislation and said if we’re serious about this, let’s see what the public really wants,” Quigley said on stage next to LaHood.
Democrats are highlighting their concerns ahead of the 60th anniversary of the federal Voting Rights Act.
