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New York Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
How Ambitious Democratic Governors Are Navigating Trump's Redistricting War
Two weeks before the Texas House Democrats fled their state to block a Republican-led redistricting effort, a handful of them flew to Chicago. They met with Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois, who promised them a future safe harbor, should they need it. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared that his state would counter any move by Republicans to further entrench President Trump's grip on power in Washington. But when one of the Texas lawmakers was in Philadelphia and sought a meeting with Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Mr. Shapiro's aides replied that the logistics were too complicated to work out, and Mr. Shapiro was too busy in negotiations over the state budget, according to two people involved in the discussions. For weeks, the Democratic Party has grappled with how to respond to Mr. Trump's aggressive push for new voting maps in Texas and other Republican-controlled states. If successful, the effort would give his party a major advantage in the race for control of the U.S. House. With Democrats locked out of power in Washington, their party's governors have emerged as a front line of opposition even though there is little coordination between them on just how to proceed. Some with national ambitions have embraced openly partisan warfare, and are working through their own plans to redraw the maps in their states to greater Democratic advantage. They've welcomed the Texas Democrats to their states and hosted them at news conferences. Others have remained on the sidelines, ceding the spotlight in a moment broadly seen as critical to their party's ability to hold Mr. Trump to account in next year's midterms. At a time when the base is clamoring for signs that Democratic leaders can forcefully take on Mr. Trump, there is a split between the Democratic fighters — a group led by Mr. Pritzker, Mr. Newsom and Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York — and those who have shown far less interest in spending their own political capital on the public debate over redistricting, like Mr. Shapiro, Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland and others. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Wall Street Journal
5 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
The Illinois Voter Suppression Strategy
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is railing against voter suppression—in Texas. He's grandstanding on late-night TV as he hosts Democratic lawmakers fleeing the Lone Star State to block GOP redistricting efforts. But if he's serious about democracy, Mr. Pritzker should start at home, where his state has its own form of voter suppression: Illinois holds local elections in February during off-cycle years, which keeps turnout low and helps insiders cling to power. This voting schedule is a deliberate strategy to rig elections. By holding municipal elections in the frigid cold and during nonfederal years, incumbent politicians minimize turnout. Chicago's last mayoral election was held in February 2023, with a runoff in April. The average mayoral turnout is about half that of presidential elections in Chicago.
Fox News
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Evening Edition: Arrest Warrants Issued For Texas Democrats Who Fled The State
Texas Democrats who skipped town to stop redistricting efforts are now facing arrest after House Speaker Dustin Burrows signed off on civil arrest warrants, citing a 'dereliction of duty'. Many of the Democrats that fled the state went to Chicago where Illinois Governor JB Pritzker rolled out the red carpet for them. Now, other Democrat Governors, Gov. Gavin Newsom in California and Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York are now vowing to conduct their own redistricting votes to combat the possible gains by Republicans in Congress. FOX's Eben Brown speaks with Texas State Senator Mayes Middleton (R) who says his Democrat colleagues have let the State of Texas down, by not just avoiding the redistricting vote but by shutting down all legislative business, and they should face the consequences. Click Here To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
CBS News
03-08-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Dozens of Texas Democratic lawmakers head to Illinois in protest against redistricting plan
Dozens of Texas Democrats were headed to Illinois on Sunday. They left the Lone Star State in a last-ditch effort to disrupt a Republican plan to redistrict the state by denying GOP lawmakers a quorum to advance their new map. At least 51 Texas Democrats fled the state for Chicago. Politico was first to report the lawmakers had left the state. Once they land, they will hold a news conference with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who has been speaking against the Texas redistricting plan for weeks. Pritzker has arranged for roughly 30 Democratic lawmakers to stay in Illinois for the week. Republicans in Texas currently hold 25 of the state's 38 congressional seats. The party hopes the new maps could bring that number up to 30, and all of those new 30 seats were won by President Trump in November by at least 10 points. President Trump said in July that he believes Republicans could win five more seats in Texas with different districts. Democrats have fought back against the new districts, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries traveling to Austin on Thursday to pledge national Cavazos and Caroline Linton contributed to this report.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cook County Democrats make no endorsement in US Senate race and snub two-term Assessor Fritz Kaegi
In a blow to Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and a reflection of divided allegiances, the Cook County Democratic Party failed Friday to endorse Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton for retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin's seat and instead backed an open primary with U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly. Holding their quadrennial slating session for state and county offices, county Democratic slatemakers also snubbed Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi and instead endorsed, by an overwhelming margin, Lyons Township Assessor Patrick Hynes for the countywide job. The party also endorsed state Rep. Margaret Croke of Chicago by a tissue-paper-thin margin for the state comptroller's spot being vacated by incumbent Susana Mendoza, who is not seeking reelection and is expected to make a 2027 bid for Chicago mayor. In the Senate race, the slating session was intended to mark the first time the three major Democrats vying for the party nomination to succeed Durbin would come together in a high-profile public forum to make their case for the county party's backing. But Kelly missed her flight from Washington, D.C., after a late round of votes that concluded early Friday morning on the Trump recession package, which cuts funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting. Kelly's absence forced Chicago Ald. Bennett Lawson, 44th, to make an emergency pitch to party leaders for Kelly's endorsement, but her nonattendance likely had a chilling effect on support for her candidacy. Committee members noted Krishnamoorthi, who had also been in Washington, was able to attend the slating session as did the dean of Illinois' U.S. House delegation, Rep. Danny Davis, 83, who wasn't even seeking an endorsement. Ultimately, slatemakers decided not to even pursue a roll call in the Senate race, which would have required support from 50% plus one vote in a weighted tally of the 50 ward and 30 township committee members necessary to gain the county endorsement. Pritzker, the two-term governor who got the party's nod Friday for reelection, has endorsed his lieutenant governor for the Senate seat. But the billionaire state chief executive, who has leveraged his wealth to build up state and local party organizations and secure political loyalty, saw that support stop short of extending to Stratton. One major issue for Stratton is her fundraising as she reported only $666,416 in cash available at the end of June, while prolific fundraiser Krishnamoorthi had $21 million in cash available, slatemakers told the Tribune. Stratton has pledged not to take money from corporate political action committees. South suburban committee members, meanwhile, showed parochial loyalty to Kelly. Pritzker did not appear at the slating session because he was attending a family event, and some slatemakers said privately his absence didn't help Stratton's push for the endorsement. Though it is well known that slating has lost much of its previous machine-politics luster, Stratton told party leaders Friday she considered slating to be 'very important.' Speaking to slatemakers, she pitched party unity and noted that while she was the only major Senate contender without Washington experience, she also was the only candidate who has represented 'the entire state of Illinois' as lieutenant governor. 'Together with the partnership of the leaders in this room, Gov. Pritzker and I have accomplished big things for our state,' Stratton said, before addressing the challenges the Democratic-led state faces from a GOP-run Washington under President Donald Trump. 'This moment requires more than the status quo. We are standing face to face with the five-alarm fire that Donald Trump has ignited in Washington — attacks on the rule of law, attacks on our economy. He's throwing fear into our immigrant communities. He's cut health care for millions of Americans, took food out of the mouths of hungry children,' she said. 'Everything we stand for is under threat and the status quo in Washington is just not cutting it. We don't need more of the same tired playbook.' Krishnamoorthi called himself an atypical political candidate as a racial, religious, ethnic minority, and an immigrant with '29 letters in my name from Peoria,' who represents the northwest suburbs in Congress. That background, he said, was under attack in Trump's Washington. 'Do we want a government that is there for people who are fighting or struggling to make it, or do we want a government that is primarily catering to those who have it made?' Krishnamoorthi asked. Krishnamoorthi said, if elected, he would create satellite Senate offices on the South and West sides of Chicago and in the suburbs. He also pledged to build the party and noted he raised $11 million last campaign cycle to assist the state and county party and Democratic organizations across the nation, as well as individual candidates. The Democratic contest for comptroller presented Croke, a state representative from Chicago, state Sen. Karina Villa of West Chicago, Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim and a new entrant, Champaign County Auditor George Danos. Croke, backed by House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch, who is also Proviso Township Democratic committeeman, eked out the endorsement by just 95 votes out of a weighted vote total of 549,705. Citing her background in Democratic activism, Croke said the state's financial health was facing a 'critical time' because of the uncertainty of federal funding from Washington. 'I believe that you need someone in this role who should be fiscally responsible but also who has empathy to care about our most vulnerable populations,' she said, explaining the ability of the comptroller to prioritize the paying of bills to vendors who supply safety net social services. Kim stressed her background in technology and pledged to bring 'innovation and modernize how we manage money in the state.' 'These are unprecedented times, and people we love are afraid, and we need a fighter at every level,' she said. Villa, who received the backing of state Senate President Don Harmon, the Oak Park Township committeeman, said 'the people of Illinois need someone who is a campaigner, who knows how to campaign, who knows how to get out in front of people.' 'The comptroller will decide how the money is spent and when that money is spent,' she said. 'I will make sure that during the Trump administration, we are emphasizing that the people who need it the most.' Harmon made an unsuccessful attempt to reverse Croke's endorsement. He noted the endorsed statewide party slate had no Latino or Asian representation or anyone from outside Chicago and warned, 'I think this is a problem for us as Democrats.' Joining the comptroller race Friday was Danos, the three-term auditor of Champaign County. Danos said, 'County auditors are comptrollers in waiting' and the 'natural bench' for the office. Rickey Hendon, the former state senator and political consultant, also spoke as a candidate for comptroller even though he has expressed interest in a possible challenge to Toni Preckwinkle's County Board presidency. But after his exhortations to committee members, he acknowledged he wasn't seeking comptroller but 'wanted to wake up the Democratic Party.' With all current statewide incumbents winning endorsements, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias didn't confirm or deny an interest in running for mayor of Chicago. Mendoza said she did not seek reelection because she pledged not to seek two offices at the same time, and she said voters deserved a four-year term commitment from state officeholders. Asked whether he was committed to serving out his full term, Giannoulias said, 'I don't like making campaign promises — that I promise to do that — nor would I hold anyone else to that promise. I love the work that I'm doing. I care deeply about helping people, and that'll never change.' As for an interest in running for mayor, Giannoulias said, 'I know there's a lot of rumors out there, people have asked and talked to me about it, but again, today's about running for reelection.' In the county assessor's race, Hynes' endorsement came after a committee of slatemakers on Thursday failed to reach consensus on whether to endorse anyone for the office. 'I think it's a major repudiation against the incumbent,' Hynes told the Tribune after the party backed him over two-term incumbent Kaegi. 'I think that the overwhelming feeling of the body was anybody but Fritz Kaegi.' Committeepeople said Timnetra Burruss, who works at the Cook County Board of Review, had secured the support of the party's Black Caucus. But their support was not enough to garner a majority. Caucus members then largely switched their votes to Hynes. Several committeepeople had soured on Kaegi for what they said were unpredictable valuations over his two terms, problems with exemptions and other missteps. It once again makes Kaegi an outsider taking on the party, a role he played in his first election, when he defeated then-Chair Joe Berrios. Kaegi's personal wealth will present a significant challenge for Hynes heading into the primary. Kaegi has more than $1 million in his campaign bank account. Hynes affirmed he would accept contributions from the real estate industry to help battle Kaegi's fortune, something Kaegi has eschewed. 'I've been in the industry for 30 years, and any industry that you're in, you're gonna make a lot of friends,' he said. 'We're gonna take money from every source that has a reason to participate in this election.' Related Articles Cook County Democrats hold off endorsement decision for county assessor, don't back Board of Review incumbent US Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly have the most cash available in Illinois US Senate race Who will fill Dick Durbin's US Senate seat in Illinois? Here are the candidates. In a statement, Kaegi said, 'I respect the process and appreciate the party's consideration. I'm confident that the voters will continue to support the critical work we've done to make Cook County a national model for transparency and fairness. Middle-class families are paying less, seniors are getting more help to stay in their homes, and we've created more than 10,000 new units of affordable housing all across the county. That didn't happen by accident.' Members of the party also unwound Thursday's recommendation to not slate any candidates for the Board of Review's 2nd District. Instead, they endorsed Liz Nicholson over incumbent Commissioner Samantha Steele and challenger Vincent Pace. Steele has been beset by controversies in recent months, including a DUI charge from last fall that she continues to fight. Nicholson, who works in fundraising and public relations, said she would make appeals more accessible and transparent, with better online tools and multilingual support. Meanwhile, Davis, who will have represented the 7th Congressional District for three decades at the end of his current term, appeared at the slating meeting even though the party wasn't endorsing any congressional candidates. Davis told reporters he would announce whether he'll run for reelection 'in about a week or so.' 'Every day, I talk to five or six people and they tell me what they think ought to be taking place, what I ought to do. And I get those who say, 'Danny, don't leave!' I get those (who) say 'You're too old.' So I get all of it, but I really take it all in,' Davis said, brandishing his signature walking stick. With state Rep. La Shawn Ford standing steps away, Davis made clear he wouldn't make his exit without endorsing a successor. Ford registered with the Federal Election Commission to run for Davis' seat, but has said he would only run if Davis retires. Former Cook County Board member Richard Boykin, who previously served as Davis' chief of staff, also stopped by slating Thursday. Solve the daily Crossword
