Democrats, You Have Permission to Sling Mud

It’s time to fight fire with fire, here is how you can help.

A woman holds a sign during a rally to protest against redistricting hearings at the Texas Capitol, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

The new Republican redistricting maps are here—and they’re just as outrageous as we feared.

Right now, Democrats hold only 12 of 38 congressional seats in Texas (with TX-18 currently vacant). Under the current maps, Trump carried 27 districts in 2024. Under the GOP’s new proposal? He’d carry 30.

This is no accident. This is a deliberate power grab.

Several Democratic incumbents have had their districts carved up or contorted beyond recognition:

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett would no longer reside in TX-30. While not constitutionally required, living in the district you represent still matters—and she’s already said she’ll take that decision to her constituents.
  

• Reps. Julie Johnson (TX-32) and Marc Veasey (TX-33)—both based in Dallas—have seen their districts mangled. Democratic voters are being crammed into TX-33, turning TX-32 into a likely GOP pickup, or at best, a swing seat.
  

• In Central Texas, Greg Casar (TX-35) and Lloyd Doggett (TX-37) are now drawn into the same district, setting up a potential primary between two progressive allies.
  

This isn’t just about shuffling boundaries. It’s about forcing Democrats into costly primaries, erasing representation, and cementing Republican rule for the next decade.

Here's the takeaway: Gerrymandering is the game. And it’s time Democrats start playing to win.

We’ve seen the blueprint. Now we need Democratic-led states to execute their own. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom is already signaling his intent to redraw maps. But that’s not enough. We need:

• Kathy Hochul in New York
  

• Wes Moore in Maryland
  

• JB Pritzker in Illinois
  

…to redistrict Republicans into irrelevance with the same ruthlessness the GOP shows us.

They may be waiting to act. But they’re also watching us. That’s where you come in.

Flood their comments. Call their offices. Send emails. Make it crystal clear:
You have our support. And you’re not just fighting for your state—you’re fighting for the country.

Back in 2021, Democrats introduced H.R. 1, a sweeping democracy reform bill that included a ban on partisan gerrymandering. Republicans killed it. Democrats tried to do the right thing—and got steamrolled.

So now?
It’s time to stop playing nice.
It’s time to make Republicans crawl back to the negotiating table.
It’s time to play hard. And mean.

Because that’s what justice demands.
That’s what democracy needs.
And damn it, that’s what we deserve.