Illinois Governor Fumbles When Asked About His Own Gerrymandering

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker couldn’t muster a response when he was questioned on his hypocrisy after condemning Texas Republicans for pursuing a mid-decade congressional map redraw - while defending his own state’s comically gerrymandered districts.

It came during a Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, when Pritzker said “What Greg Abbott is doing and what Donald Trump is attempting to do is to cheat mid-decade here; they’re attempting to change the map. They know that they’re going to lose in 2026, the Congress, and so they’re trying to steal seats.”

Host Kristen Welker reminded Pritzker that nonpartisan watchdog groups have graded Illinois with an “F” for fairness in redistricting, describing the state’s map as a prime example of partisan gerrymandering. “I guess the question is, you talk about preserving democracy, how do you preserve democracy if you’re using the same tactics that you’ve criticized Texas Republicans for?” Welker asked.

In Illinois, 43.5% voted for Trump and 54.4% for Harris. Democrats hold 82.4% of the U.S. House seats.

Pritzker dodged the question that imploded his entire narrative, calling the comparison a “distraction.” “The reality is that the violation of people’s voting rights is what Texas is attempting to do. That’s what’s wrong with their efforts right now,” he said.

No such concern was offered for the “voting rights” of his own state.