Begun, the Gerrymandering Wars Have

Abead of sweat trickles down Gavin Newsom’s greasy brow as he brandishes a ballot initiative at California’s independent redistricting commission: “I’m just crazy enough to do it, maaaaaan!,” he squawks as he cocks the hammer at the good-government hostages he’s taken. A thousand miles away across the great divide in Texas, Greg Abbott sits with his own set of Democratic captives, wondering whether he should have tried to rob this particular bank in the first place. (“This wasn’t even my idea!”)

Over the horizon, JB Pritzker and Kathy Hochul are rustling up bandits to pin Abbott down. Calls for backup have been sent to Indiana, Florida, and Ohio; will the cavalry arrive in time? The clock is ticking. A powder keg is set to explode, and the fuse for all of this was lit by Texas’s decision to engage — at President Donald Trump’s bidding — in mid-decade redistricting to squeeze another five potential Republican seats out of the state’s congressional delegation.

About the Author

Jeffrey Blehar

Jeffrey Blehar is a National Review staff writer living in Chicago. He is also the co-host of National Review’s Political Beats podcast, which explores the great music of the modern era with guests from the political world happy to find something non-political to talk about.

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Abead of sweat trickles down Gavin Newsom’s greasy brow as he brandishes a ballot initiative at California’s independent redistricting commission: “I’m just crazy enough to do it, maaaaaan!,” he squawks as he cocks the hammer at the good-government hostages he’s taken. A thousand miles away across the great divide in Texas, Greg Abbott sits with his own set of Democratic captives, wondering whether he should have tried to rob this particular bank in the first place. (“This wasn’t even my idea!”)

Over the horizon, JB Pritzker and Kathy Hochul are rustling up bandits to pin Abbott down. Calls for backup have been sent to Indiana, Florida, and Ohio; will the cavalry arrive in time? The clock is ticking. A powder keg is set to explode, and the fuse for all of this was lit by Texas’s decision to engage — at President Donald Trump’s bidding — in mid-decade redistricting to squeeze another five potential Republican seats out of the state’s congressional delegation.

About the Author

Jeffrey Blehar

Jeffrey Blehar is a National Review staff writer living in Chicago. He is also the co-host of National Review’s Political Beats podcast, which explores the great music of the modern era with guests from the political world happy to find something non-political to talk about.