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* Subscribers know more. National Politico this morning…
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is scheduled to visit Illinois on Monday to talk to members of the Illinois Black Caucus about redrawing the state’s congressional map. Some of them have been outspoken against the idea, fearing it will dilute Black political power.
Jeffries will have to address those concerns quickly: Illinois lawmakers are back in Springfield this week for the annual fall veto session, and redistricting could get added to the agenda.
* Punchbowl…
The Illinois Senate Black Caucus, via its chair, state Sen. Willie Preston, issued a public warning to Jeffries that it won’t support a map that dilutes Black voting population in historically Black districts. Preston is running for Rep. Robin Kelly’s (D-Ill.) seat, one of those districts. Kelly is running in the Democratic Senate primary.
Jeffries’ trip to Chicago is an acknowledgment that support from Black lawmakers will be crucial toward passing a new map. Preston will also be in the meeting today, per a person familiar with his plans.
Illinois has three historically Black districts held by Kelly and Democratic Reps. Danny Davis and Jonathan Jackson. Black lawmakers have voiced concerns that squeezing another seat out of the state could lower the number of Black voters in those districts, potentially hurting Black representation.
The state currently has 14 Democrats and three Republicans. Democrats hope to draw out one more Republican to counter President Donald Trump’s push to gerrymander in red states.
* Governor Pritzker was asked about the meeting this morning…
Reporter: There’s been reports that Hakeem Jeffries is going to be in Illinois today to lobby on the redistricting issue. What have you heard? Where do you stand on that? What do you know?
Pritzker: I haven’t heard any more than I think last time we spoke about it. I found out that Leader Jeffries was coming just over the weekend. I know he’s going to be speaking with members of the Black Caucus, but I’m not sure what that conversation will be like.
Reporter: Where do you stand there? What do you what do you think in the next week, in the last week of veto session. Do you think anything’s realistic as far as passing that could benefit Democrats?
Pritzker: Oh, sure. I mean, I think it’s possible. And again, this is you know all about the fact that Donald Trump is now trying to, well, rig the game by going state by state, and asking his friends, the Republican governors and Republican legislators to do mid decade redistricting. So that’s something we’re all going to have to look at during the process here. But it doesn’t have to happen during veto session. It could happen after that, but right now there’s just a lot of conversation going on.
* Related…
* NYT | In Battle for Congress, Virginia Democrats to Begin Votes to Redraw Maps: Virginia lawmakers are expected to assemble on Monday to start a process that could redraw the state’s congressional districts for the 2026 midterm election. Virginia is the latest state to plunge into the fight over control of Congress, where Republicans hold a tightrope-slim majority and launched a surprise effort this summer to shore up their control by pushing Republican-led states to redraw congressional districts ahead of schedule.
* WVWU | Ohio Redistricting Commission, tasked with approving bipartisan map, can’t agree on rules: Critics have been saying the state’s redistricting process is broken. An effort to overhaul it last year failed, but there are new calls for changes. As the process to draw a new 15-district congressional map moves into a second phase, it’s been fraught with disagreement over the most basic parts. That was evident in the first meeting of the Ohio Redistricting Commission this week. At its first meeting on Tuesday, the seven members of the commission were divided on the basic rules that should used for the meetings. Co-chair Brian Stewart (R-Asheville) wanted to adopt one parliamentary process.
* NYT | Lawsuit Plunges New York Into the National Gerrymandering Fight: A suit filed by an election law firm contends that the state’s 11th Congressional District, represented by a Republican, is drawn in a way that disenfranchises Black and Latino voters.
…Adding… ILGOP…
While millions of federal workers and military families are struggling during the government shutdown, Hakeem Jeffries is nowhere to be found in Washington. Instead, he is in Illinois playing political games and plotting with state Democrats to rig our electoral maps even further. ILGOP Chairman Kathy Salvi released the following statement:
“As Illinois families feel the pain of a government shutdown, Hakeem Jeffries is ignoring his duty in Washington to try to turn Illinois’ maps into even more of a pretzel. Let’s be clear: this trip isn’t about Illinois families. It’s about getting a shining moment on CNN and Democrats holding onto their power.“JB Pritzker and Illinois Democrats have already gerrymandered Illinois to hell and back, creating one of most partisan maps in history. While Democrats continue to play partisan games, the Illinois Republican Party will continue to fight for fair maps and representation.”
Don’t forget that the nonpartisan Gerrymandering Project at Princeton University deemed Illinois’ congressional maps with two “F” grades in 2021.
posted by Isabel Miller
Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 11:31 am
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two, or three, or four wrongs don’t make a right…
As someone that philosophically tends to vote republican, meaning we are a nation of states with a representational govt as compared to mob rule, I think its abhorrent what is happening with gerrymandering.
Illinois should not pile on to this.
If anything, congressional districts should be redrawn to better represent the electorate which currently seems to be a 55:45 split.
Comment by 40,000 ft Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 11:40 am
So they would rather be in the minority for god knows how long?
Short-sighted and stupid.
Comment by So_Ill Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 11:47 am
Normally, I would be opposed to this. However, this is not a normal time.
Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 11:50 am
Turning the question around, what petition/electoral scenario is possible if they don’t do it this week? Create a new district and hold a primary for that district only later on? Any new map involves a complete reset of who’s running for what.
Comment by *ducks* Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 11:51 am
Foolish. 1 new weak D district in Illinois will not help one bit
Comment by NotRich Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 11:53 am
The Black Caucus has consistently stuck it to the Latino caucus in remaps. They will only lose in a remap scenario.
Comment by Amazing Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 12:07 pm
-state Sen. Willie Preston, issued a public warning to Jeffries -
There’s not much more to get in this state. It is what it is.
Comment by Steve Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 12:09 pm
I do not see how we can get maps created and instituted in time for the next election.
I guess a lot of late nights for some poor attorneys.
Comment by localgovhero Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 12:13 pm
“1 new weak D district in Illinois will not help one bit”
Correction: it will help precisely to the tune of +1 democratic district.
As a fellow critic of partisan redistricting on its philosophical merits, I really don’t understand you folks who are against retaliatory gerrymandering in our current situation. If you want to enact change in how we draw districts, you have to win power. You can’t use power if you don’t have it, morally uncomfortable as that might be. I’m also against the use of nuclear weapons on the merits, but as long as our enemies have them, we need them too. No matter the weapon, disarmament only accomplishes two things: signaling your virtue, and weakening your position. I don’t care about the first one, and the second one is unacceptable.
Comment by I-55 Fanatic Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 12:14 pm
===I do not see how we can get maps created and instituted in time===
Computers are very fast now. NC drew maps and passed them in a week.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 12:24 pm
If they can squeeze another D out then go ahead! Remember, this all started with Trump anyways
Comment by hmmm Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 12:33 pm
=== Correction: it will help precisely to the tune of +1 democratic district. ===
My understanding is that the current version of the Congressional maps is currently as Democratic as it could be. Any further dilution of the current Democratic districts will put some of them potentially at risk.
Comment by Remember the Alamo II Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 12:46 pm
Indiana is moving ahead drawing a 9-0 map. We can’t unilaterally disarm in the face of this. Its probably the worst time in the modern era for ‘When they go low we go high’.
Comment by Michael McLean Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 12:57 pm
There is always room for improvement
Let’s try to get an F-
Comment by Harrison Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 12:57 pm
“Any further dilution of the current Democratic districts will put some of them potentially at risk.”
This is technically true, but not to the extent that it would realistically put anyone at risk in 2026. Obviously any individual member of Congress doesn’t want their district to get redder, but objectively speaking, Illinois can definitely squeeze out 1 more D seat without worry. I recommend playing around with some tools like Dave’s Redistricting. I encourage everyone to do the math on their own… it is absolutely doable.
This is assuming that SCOTUS doesn’t strike down section 2 of the VRA. If they do that, then Illinois can draw a reliably 17-0 map. Although I suspect in that scenario, the outrage from the BC would get cranked up to 11.
Comment by I-55 Fanatic Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 1:26 pm
Serious question here: would all those people currently passing petitions have to start over again? Don’t new maps lead to a slightly different pool of candidates? What am I missing?
Comment by Just Me 2 Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 1:29 pm
For everyone talking about redistricting or disarming, the simple fact is Illinois has been gerrymandered for quite some time in favor of Democrats.
Any further tinkering with the map will most likely result in either the loss of a black seat that flips white or Hispanic … or a weak enough district that a district flips GOP. One way or the other, it’s likely a lose / lose situation.
Comment by RNUG Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 1:31 pm
=House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is scheduled to visit Illinois=
from Gallop 2025 Oct 1-16
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?
Approve 15%
Disapprove 79%
No opinion 6%
https://news.gallup.com/poll/1600/congress-public.aspx
Comment by Think again Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 1:36 pm
How will petitions be done, considering they’re due today?
Also, why will the Black Caucus go along with any redistricting, considering what’s waiting for them in 2030? They are going to lose seats in the City and State. Their best opportunity is to continue pushing deeper into South Suburban districts and take those. They can’t go North and are getting squeezed from the West.
Hakeem Jeffries cannot guarantee the Black Caucus numbers and power will be maintained after the new census.
Comment by Frida's Boss Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 2:19 pm
===What am I missing?===
Laws can be changed.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 27, 25 @ 2:28 pm