Obama slams Texas Republicans in statement on redistricting battle
The former Democratic president has taken a more subdued role in politics since leaving office, and again since a brief return to the national spotlight to support his party in the 2024 election.
"I am so proud of the @TexasHDC and the work that they've done," Obama wrote, resharing a post from the Texas House Democrats thanking him for his support. "Their willingness to put themselves on the line to highlight the current assault on our democracy has set an example for what all of us have to do."
More: Texas AG asks judge to arrest Beto O'Rourke for redistricting battle fundraising
Obama first jumped into the fray in an Aug. 5 post, calling Texas Republicans' push to add five new GOP congressional seats "a power grab that undermines our democracy."
The state's battle has ballooned into a multi-state skirmish since Democrats fled their home state Aug. 3, blocking Republicans' attempts to vote on the new maps. In the days that followed, Texas' Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered arrest warrants for the Democrats who fled, and Trump suggested the FBI may have to force them back to the state. Abbot said in a statement earlier in the week that he intended to call for a second legislative session, after Texas' House and Senate signaled both chambers would adjourn on Friday, Aug. 15, due to the lack of a quorum prompted by the absent Democrats.
Democratic lawmakers, such as New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, have taken a confrontational stance toward the proposed map, with several governors hosting the Texas Democrats after they fled. Hochul said Democrats will "fight fire with fire" and counter Texas Republicans' planned redistricting, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Aug. 14 that his state would hold a special election Nov. 4 to ask voters to approve a mid-decade redistricting plan that would likely advantage Democrats in the deeply blue state.
Somewhat of a map-drawing arms race has ensued, with Republican-led states such as Florida and Ohio looking to redistrict in response.
'Stand up and fight'
In their post thanking Obama for attending the meeting, Texas Democrats shared a photo of the president on a large screen in front of more than a dozen attendees.
I am so proud of the @TexasHDC and the work that they've done. Their willingness to put themselves on the line to highlight the current assault on our democracy has set an example for what all of us have to do. https://t.co/jA2giVOMW1 — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 15, 2025
"Your words reminded us why we broke quorum: Democracy isn't self-executing. It requires us to stand up and fight for it," the caucus said in its post. "We're honored by your support."
Public opinion on gerrymandering
In a recent national poll, public opinion about redrawing maps, referred to as gerrymandering, appeared mixed.
More than two-thirds said partisan gerrymandering should not be allowed in the YouGov/Economist poll conducted Aug. 9-11. Yet when asked if it should be allowed in retaliation to another party redrawing its maps, 35% said it would be ok, and 30% said no. Another 36% said they were not sure.
Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr.
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The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
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The Guardian
5 hours ago
- The Guardian
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The Guardian
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'The fact that my city and all the others called out by the president on Sunday, led by Black mayors, are all making historic progress on crime, but they're the ones getting called up – it tells you everything that you need to know,' Baltimore's mayor, Brandon Scott, said in a press call this week. The federal government can often partner with cities to address crime – several Democratic mayors noted that they worked with the Biden administration on this front successfully. But those partnerships are mutually agreed upon collaborations, not overrides of local policing. 'We're not anti-federal help. We're anti-federal chaos,' Frey said. Detroit's mayor, Mike Duggan, said in a statement that his city is seeing its lowest homicides, shootings and carjackings in more than 50 years, crediting a partnership with federal agencies and the US attorney as a major part of that success. 'This partnership is simple and effective: DPD does the policing and the feds have strongly increased support for federal prosecution,' Duggan said. 'We appreciate the partnership we have today and are aware of no reason either side would want to change it.' Mayors are not saying they have solved the issue of violent crime, Scott said, though they are acknowledging they have reduced it and will continue to work toward further reductions. 'We need folks that want to actually help us do that, versus try to take and show force and make us into something other than a representative democracy that we all are proud to call home,' he said. Mayors throughout the US made a clear distinction between Trump's authority in Washington DC compared to other cities. Washington has a legal provision in the Home Rule Act of 1973 that allows for a president to take over its police department during an emergency on a temporary basis, though Trump is the first to use this power. Other cities have no similar concept in law. Even with the Home Rule Act, Washington officials sued Trump after his attempt to replace the city's police chief, saying the president was mounting a 'hostile takeover' of DC police. Trump and the city agreed to scale back the federal takeover on Friday, keeping DC's police chief in place. 'We know when people want to say they're going to be a dictator on day one, they never voluntarily give up that aspiration on day two,' Norm Eisen, an attorney who frequently sues the Trump administration, said in a press call this week. 'That is what you are seeing in the streets of the District of Columbia.' In Minneapolis, Frey said the city has prepared operational plans with police, fire and emergency management and readied itself legally. 'Our chief of police and I are lockstep, and he reports up to the commissioner of safety, who reports up to me,' Frey said. 'There's no lack of clarity as to how this reporting structure works, and it certainly does not go to Donald Trump. Doing something like that in Minneapolis, it would be just a blatantly illegal usurpation of local control were this to happen here. Of course, we would take immediate action to get injunctive relief.' Trump's decision to send in national guard troops to Los Angeles is also legally questionable. Governors typically direct guard troops. The California governor, Gavin Newsom, sued Trump for using the military for domestic law enforcement in defiance of the Posse Comitatus Act. The case was heard by a judge this week. Harrell, of Seattle, said he is confident he will be able to protect his police department and the city's residents if Trump sends troops. 'What I have to do is make sure that the people under my jurisdiction as mayor feel confident in an ability to fight his overreach, and that our law department is well geared to advance our legal arguments,' he said. Scott, of Baltimore, said he was prepared to take every action 'legally and otherwise'. Still, there is some uncertaintyand unsteadiness about how cities can respond if Trump calls up the national guard. 'It's very difficult to know what our options are, because we're in unchartered territory here,' Smiley, of Providence, said. 'It's unprecedented and I don't know what my options are with respect to preventing troops from coming in, which is one of the reasons that I'm trying to be so proactive about making it clear that it's not necessary, it's not wanted.' This article was amended on 17 August 2025. An earlier version stated that tanks were present in Washington DC, when they were actually Humvees.
