WASHINGTON — Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday accused President Trump of trying to “steal” and “rig” the 2026 midterms by way of gerrymandering — however refused to say if he and different New York Dems are planning on rejiggering the state’s congressional map.
“Home Democrats are going to reply from coast to coast and in any respect factors in between, as has been accomplished in California, as has been accomplished forcefully, instantly and appropriately to make sure that Donald Trump can’t steal the midterm elections,” Jeffries informed CNN’s “State of the Union.”
However when host Dana Bash pressed Jeffries for specifics on what his house state of New York would possibly attempt to counter GOP’s gerrymandering efforts, he dodged answering.
The Democrat as an alternative went on a rant about Republican efforts in Texas and the Democrat counter-response in California.
Bash requested him once more what he would do in New York, saying, “So if there not a plan but in New York, is that what I’m listening to?”
Jeffries solely stated, “There’s a plan to reply as appropriately in New York and in different components of the nation because the circumstances dictate.”
Lawmakers from each events have lately been attempting to redraw congressional maps earlier than the 2026 midterms to favor their political occasion, with the battle being most scorching in Texas and California.
Texas Republicans accepted a brand new map pushed by President Trump on Saturday after a fierce combat that had the state’s Democrats fleeing the statehouse to keep away from voting. The map might assist flip a number of seats within the tight upcoming midterms, with as many as 5 potential new wins for the GOP.
The newly drawn Texas map is already seen as an enormous win for Republicans, who at present have only a three-seat majority within the Home.
In California, Dem Gov. Gavin Newsom is attempting to offset the GOP inroads in Texas by placing a brand new congressional map to his voters. The map, accepted by the California legislature and set to be voted on by constituents in November, might give Democrats 5 seats within the Home and precisely counter the GOP’s anticipated wins in Texas.
Different states might additionally see new maps on the desk. Republicans in Indiana, Missouri and Florida have spoken about gerrymandering potentialities, whereas some Democrats in New York, Illinois and Maryland have accomplished the identical.
Regardless of Jeffries’ noncommittal stance on New York’s combat, Gov. Kathy Hochul has been publicly extra in favor of Democrats happening the offensive and becoming a member of the gerrymandering battle.
“I’m bored with preventing this combat with my hand tied behind my again,” Hochul stated at a press briefing Aug. 4. “With all due respect to the great authorities teams, politics is a political course of.”
Hochul’s place favoring Democrats redrawing the map in New York ran counter to her opposition of Republicans doing the identical in Texas.
New York Democrats launched a state constitutional modification in July that might permit lawmakers to alter the state’s congressional map earlier than 2028.
The modification must be accepted in 2026 by the state Legislature, and the textual content of the proposal prohibits Democrats from making partisan maps favoring both occasion.
However Hochul’s rhetoric appeared to push for extra aggressive actions from Democrats.
“We’re sick and bored with being pushed round when different states don’t have the identical aspirations that we all the time have,” Hochul stated. “And I maintain these expensive.
“However I can’t ignore that the enjoying area has modified dramatically, and disgrace on us if we ignore that truth and cling tight to the vestiges of the previous. That period is over — Donald Trump eradicated it ceaselessly.”
