Texas governor threatens to remove Democrats who left state over Trump-backed redistricting
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Winnipeg Free Press
25 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Texas dispute highlights nation's long history of partisan gerrymandering. Is it legal?
When Democratic lawmakers fled Texas to try to prevent the Republican-led Legislature from redrawing the state's congressional districts, it marked the latest episode in a long national history of gerrymandering. The word 'gerrymander' was coined in America more than 200 years ago as an unflattering means of describing political manipulation in legislative map-making. The word has stood the test of time, in part, because American politics has remained fiercely competitive. Who is responsible for gerrymandering? In many states, like Texas, the state legislature is responsible for drawing congressional districts, subject to the approval or veto of the governor. District maps must be redrawn every 10 years, after each census, to balance the population in districts. But in some states, nothing prevents legislatures from conducting redistricting more often. In an effort to limit gerrymandering, some states have entrusted redistricting to special commissions composed of citizens or bipartisan panels of politicians. Democratic officials in some states with commissions are now talking of trying to sidestep them to counter Republican redistricting in Texas. How does a gerrymander work? If a political party controls both the legislature and governor's office — or has such a large legislative majority that it can override vetoes — it can effectively draw districts to its advantage. One common method of gerrymandering is for a majority party to draw maps that pack voters who support the opposing party into a few districts, thus allowing the majority party to win a greater number of surrounding districts. Another common method is for the majority party to dilute the power of an opposing party's voters by spreading them among multiple districts. Why is it called gerrymandering? The term dates to 1812, when Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a bill redrawing state Senate districts to benefit the Democratic-Republican Party. Some thought an oddly shaped district looked like a salamander. A newspaper illustration dubbed it 'The Gerry-mander' — a term that later came to describe any district drawn for political advantage. Gerry lost re-election as governor in 1812 but won election that same year as vice president with President James Madison. Is political gerrymandering illegal? Not under the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court, in a 2019 case originating from North Carolina, ruled that federal courts have no authority to decide whether partisan gerrymandering goes too far. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote: 'The Constitution supplies no objective measure for assessing whether a districting map treats a political party fairly.' The Supreme Court noted that partisan gerrymandering claims could continue to be decided in state courts under their own constitutions and laws. But some state courts, including North Carolina's highest court, have ruled that they also have no authority to decide partisan gerrymandering claims. Are there any limits on redistricting? Yes. Though it's difficult to challenge legislative districts on political grounds, the Supreme Court has upheld challenges on racial grounds. In a 2023 case from Alabama, the high court said the congressional districts drawn by the state's Republican-led Legislature likely violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting the voting strength of Black residents. The court let a similar claim proceed in Louisiana. Both states subsequently redrew their districts. What does data show about gerrymandering? Statisticians and political scientists have developed a variety of ways to try to quantify the partisan advantage that may be attributable to gerrymandering. Republicans, who control redistricting in more states than Democrats, used the 2010 census data to create a strong gerrymander. An Associated Press analysis of that decade's redistricting found that Republicans enjoyed a greater political advantage in more states than either party had in the past 50 years. But Democrats responded to match Republican gerrymandering after the 2020 census. The adoption of redistricting commissions also limited gerrymandering in some states. An AP analysis of the 2022 elections — the first under new maps — found that Republicans won just one more U.S. House seat than would have been expected based on the average share of the vote they received nationwide. That was one of the most politically balanced outcomes in years.
Toronto Star
41 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
The Latest: Texas governor threatens lawmakers who left the state over Trump-backed redistricting
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he'll begin trying to remove Democratic lawmakers from office Monday if they don't return after dozens of them left the state in an attempt to block the adoption of redrawn U.S. House maps sought by President Donald Trump. The revolt by Democrats in the state House — many of whom fled to Illinois or New York on Sunday — and Abbott's threat ratcheted up a widening fight over congressional maps. The conflict has expanded to include Democratic governors who are floating the possibility of redrawing their own state's maps in retaliation. Their options are limited.
Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
American Eagle shares jumps as Trump touts Sydney Sweeney jeans ad
Published Aug 04, 2025 • 2 minute read American Eagle billboard ads of actress Sydney in New York on Aug. 1, 2025. Photo by Michael M. Santiago / Bloomberg American Eagle Outfitters Inc. shares surged after U.S. President Donald Trump came out in support of a controversial ad from the company and called her a 'registered Republican.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The spot, with the actress Sydney Sweeney, is the 'HOTTEST ad out there,' Trump said in a social media post. He added American Eagle jeans are 'flying off the shelves.' Trump deleted an earlier post, in which the actress' first name was misspelled The stock jumped as much as 18%, the biggest gain intraday since May 12. Through last week's close, the shares had declined 36% this year. The apparel retailer launched an ad blitz in July with the tagline 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.' One of the campaign's videos plays on the same-sounding word 'genes' as Sweeney zips up her jeans and intones that 'genes are passed down from parents to offspring often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour.' 'My jeans are blue,' she adds, flashing her blue eyes at the camera. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When American Eagle initially announced the ad campaign on July 23, shares rose as investors cheered the company snagging a deal with Sweeney, whose popularity has surged after appearances in TV shows such as White Lotus and Euphoria. In the following days, the gain eroded after critics said the ad's focus on the genes of a White, blond woman conjured up the racist theory of eugenics. Other social media users have said critics are reading too much into the ads. Representatives for American Eagle didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Last week, the company said the spot 'is and always was about the jeans' and will 'continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It's still unclear how American Eagle's ad campaign will impact sales. Analysts will be watching the company's performance during the important back-to-school shopping season. Since mid-July, sales and web traffic at American Eagle Outfitters have been accelerating, while visits to stores has been slowing, according to data from Bloomberg Second Measure, Similarweb, and Through July 27 — the latest data available — those positive trends have continued. Visits to American Eagle's website have also accelerated, the data show. However, trends at Abercrombie & Fitch Co., an American Eagle competitor, have been similar over the same period. Trump said in his post that Sweeney is 'a registered Republican.' While the actress hasn't spoken about her political affiliation, public records show a person with her name and birthday registered to vote as a Republican in Florida in 2024. — With assistance from Matt Townsend. Columnists Opinion World Wrestling Wrestling
