ICYMI: Rhonda Belford: Democrats Can't Fight for Democracy in Texas While Undermining it in Illinois

Rhonda Belford: Democrats can’t fight for democracy in Texas while undermining it in Illinois

Gov. JB Pritzker is once again talking about gerrymandering — just not in Illinois.

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Don’t forget that in 2021, Pritzker signed one of the most blatantly and aggressively gerrymandered congressional maps in the country, drawn and passed by his own party. The map created districts with lines that make my grandchildren’s scribblings look like Pablo Picasso’s.

That map gave Democrats a clear advantage in 14 of Illinois’ 17 congressional districts and earned an “F” for fairness from the nonpartisan Princeton Gerrymandering Project. The maps weren’t an accident. They deliberately cut out two Republican-leaning seats and helped lock in Democratic control.

It’s a stark contrast from when Pritzker was on the campaign trail. He promised to veto any map that was “in any way drafted or created by legislators, political party leaders and/or their staffs or allies.” Pritzker campaigned with a message of hope and fairness and moving past Democrats’ history of corruption. Then, at his first opportunity, Pritzker broke that promise without hesitation. “Fairness” wasn’t on Illinois Democrats’ minds.

Now, as he positions himself to run for president, Pritzker is outraged. While standing on his giant soapbox and projecting his moral authority, he floated the idea of redrawing even more favorable maps in Illinois. That’s not democratic leadership; it’s partisan gamesmanship.

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Illinois families deserve better. They deserve fair representation, not districts drawn in backrooms to silence opposition and insulate power. When maps are rigged to favor one party, voters lose faith in our elections and our country’s founding principles.

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