By Seth Gabriel – WLDS
Gov. JB Pritzker welcomed dozens of democratic lawmakers from Texas who left the Lone Star state Sunday to prevent the state legislature from passing a redistricting plan that they claim favors Republicans. State Rep. CD Davidsmeyer says that lawmakers should make sure their voices are heard but, running away to a different state is not the way to do it.
“There’s a time and a place to make a statement, and sometimes that statement is made with your feet. Like we see with people leaving the state of Illinois,” Davidsmeyer says, “But, running away from your obligation as a state representative or a state senator is just not upholding your end of the job.”
Pritzker said the Texas law makers are welcome to stay in Illinois for as long as they want. The governor also said he has considered whether Illinois should respond by redrawing its own map in Democrats’ favor, as “everything has to be on the table.” Davidsmeyer says Illinois democrats have already used redistricting to their advantage before.
“In the state of Illinois, they’ll put republican voters in a majority democrat district to dilute their vote and ensure it remains a democrat district,” Davidsmeyer says. “For instance, in the very first election since this new map that Illinois has, democrats won 78 seats in the house. Republicans won 40 seats in the house but republicans got tens of thousands of more votes. If that doesn’t tell you that they’re diluting our votes and making sure we’re not heard, I don’t know what does.”
Illinois redrew its congressional map last in 2021.