Chicago – August 10, 2025
Sen. Bernie Sanders says Democratic governors have “no choice” but to redraw congressional maps in response to Texas Republicans’ redistricting plan – which the Vermont independent describes as an attempt by President Donald Trump to “rig the system.”
“What we have now is a terrible situation, and Republicans are making it worse. Well, what are you going to do? If Republicans are doing it, you have to respond. It’s pathetic, but I think you have to respond,” Sanders said.
The progressive senator, kicking off a new swing of his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, spoke to CNN “State of the Union” anchor Dana Bash in Wheeling, West Virginia, last Friday in a wide-ranging interview that covered the redistricting fight, Israel’s plans to expand the war in Gaza, the 2028 presidential election, and his view that the “Democratic Party has turned its back on what was its base.”
As Democrats in the Texas House have left the state to stonewall Republicans from moving forward with the redistricting plan, which aims to gain five GOP US House seats, governors of Democratic-controlled states like California and New York have threatened to respond with the same tactics. Sanders, who has long opposed gerrymandering, acknowledged that he still believes partisan line-drawing undermines the political process, but that “Democrats have got to fight back.”
“(Trump) is trying to, you know, in his authoritarian way, say, ‘Hey, I don’t want to lose elections. Let’s rig the system. Give me five more votes in Texas, maybe some other states,’” Sanders said. “So, what should Democrats do? Sit back and say, ‘Oh, gee, Trump is doing this terrible — we can’t do anything. Let them win the election,’ when they shouldn’t?”
