Mark Elias urges all Democratic Governors to redistrict 30 seats

[Tribetime]

?si=6k7FnW-iwsmsSxNT
Not counting California. This just to counteract what maga will do in 2026. So far they have been reluctant to do so, but if the voting rights is dismantled by SC we don't have a choice.

[NCDem47]

1. What are Dems waiting for?!?

Just do it! Republicans are acting at warp speed here guys. These R redistricting states are adding up…and fast! This is our shot.

[flying_wahini]

2. Sometimes you have to climb own into the gutter to fight evil. Fight fire with fire.

[JustAnotherGen]

14. In NJ - we need a change to our Constitution

We also need 2/3 of Assembly and Senate. We are just a few weeks from the election.

1. I think Sherrill is going to win.

2. If we pick up one more seat in the assembly - we can do it.

There is a public notice which must be given. Give the notice, and vote. There's plenty of time before the County Clerks need to run the primary (June) to re-district.

It's not a priority for sane New Jerseyans right now.

We have to keep the Assembly and the Governor. Just give us a few weeks to put the oxygen masks on ourselves.

[Tribetime]

18. I'm sure Elias understands that , but he said that there were thirty seats

That could be taken

[SSJVegeta]

3. If Democrats gerrymandered to the max and Rs gerrymandered tot he max

Last edited Fri Oct 17, 2025, 07:51 PM - Edit history (1)

Ds winits a tossup. This year it could might be a blowout. For somebody

[Tribetime]

4. Ty for that...I couldn't sleep last night frustrated that there was nothing we could do

[SSJVegeta]

5. I mean given just how fluid most peoples politics are, many of these Republican gerrymanders could easily turn

Into dummymanders.

[JustAnotherGen]

15. They are generally inept

And they will make mistakes.

[FBaggins]

27. I don't think that's even close to true

I can't think of a variation of "to the max" where we would win.

It's far easier to "pack" democrats than republicans

[SSJVegeta]

28. Maybe. But blue states can create all D delegations as well.

And theres simply more seats in blue states than in red states.

[FBaggins]

29. Two problems with that

Lots of blue states have already done so.

Also - if there were more seats in blue states and in red states... Trump wouldn't have won by 86 EVs (or at all)

[Wiz Imp]

34. I'm not sure where you're getting that, but it does not appear to be true.

I say "does not appear to be true" rather than "definitely isn't true" only because it's not possible to identify what would be a "Max" gerrymander in many states.

In reality, there are currently 15 states with a Democratic trifecta in their state and 23 with Republican Trifectas.

The Democratic trifecta states currently have 133 Democratic Representatives and 30 Republican Representatives.

The Republican trifecta states have 132 Republican Representatives and 44 Democratic Representatives.

But on top of that, Colorado and Washington, despite having Democratic trifectas use an Independent Commission so they would first need a law change (like California) to make any changes.

New Jersey (also with a Democratic trifecta) uses a commission of political appointees.

New York (D trifecta) uses a hybrid commission/legislature approach.

North Carolina which has a Democratic Governor and Republican legislature uses the legislature to draw maps with the Governor unable to veto. North Carolina currently has 10 Republicans and 4 Democrats.

[SSJVegeta]

35. Yeah i deleted my other response cause my math doesnt check out

It's still kinda close but ultimately the wild card will be in the states with split control of government.

[FBaggins]

36. Add that Colorado would have to change their constitution

... which is a shame because they have some of the easiest seats to draw out (multiple narrowly-red seats neighboring deep blue seats).

But a constitutional amendment requires a 55% supermajority... and I doubt the electorate would come through.

[JoetheShow]

6. Honestly, I get so frustrated with Democratic Leadership.

Their idea of resistance is to write a strongly worded letter, or sue in court knowing the Orange Ass will just work around whatever narrow decision goes against him. Dems keep bringing a paper clip to a gun fight. It's time to bring a cannon to the gun fight. The Trump cult will lie, cheat and steal to get what they want. It's long past time to stop treating them as honorable colleges.

[Teacher of the Year]

9. I sort of agree.

But I see it as the Republicans bringing a gun to the paper clip fight.

We need to fight back to win though. Never enter a fight if you don't intend to fight to win.

[JoetheShow]

22. I understand why you think this. It SHOULD be a paper clip fight.

"A marketplace of ideas" people like to say. But it certainly hasn't been that way certainly since Newt Gingrich and maybe even before him. Ever since the Powell memo, conservatives have been dumping money into institutions to slant the playing field to their favor. They have succeeded far beyond what I would have thought possible. I don't see liberals having a similar capability because there's no financial benefit to liberalism for those with the ability to dump millions and even billions into think tanks, news outlets, and elections. It's up to we the people and those with power who believe in our ideals to bend the arc of history back towards Justice.

[hauckeye]

7. But how?

In Wisconsin we have a Denocratic governor but the legislature is republican. I don’t think the governor can do it unilaterally.

[Wednesdays]

12. Well, we're talking about the totally blue states, not the battlegrounds.

There are plenty of blue states with Dem governors and Dem legislatures.

[FBaggins]

23. Yes and no

There are plenty of deep blue states... but no matter how blue Massachusetts is... we can't pick up any seats there. The same is true for a bunch of other states.

[markodochartaigh]

8. By the time that we are ten years old

most people have realized that if they are playing a game with someone who cheats they will never be able to win unless they cheat. The difference is that the Democratic party cannot just pick up their marbles and go home. There is no choice but to keep playing. Without a fair referee, the supreme court, the Democratic party will lose to a cheating Republican party.

And, you can't really call gerrymandering, redistricting, cheating anymore. The supreme court makes the rules and they have said that it is ok. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

[tinrobot]

10. More precisely, the rules of the game have changed.

We're still stubbornly playing by the old rules.

[awesomerwb1]

31. Yes. Your comment should be from 2000

Dems are playing by decades old rules.

[WarGamer]

11. do it. That's more than enough to counter the GOP redistricting, right?

[FBaggins]

24. If it was possible... yes.

But it isn't

There aren't 30 seats available in states that we can redistrict. Not even close.

[Tribetime]

13. If governors are worried about not getting reelected , they should think twice

If we don't do this, there will be no country.. If for some reason they do this and don't get re.Elected.I'm sure there would be other opportunities for that and probably in the new cabinet

[JustAnotherGen]

16. I'm staring

Down the Barrel of the Shittarelli gun in NJ.

We have to protect ourselves first. It's a compressed timeline.

[Joinfortmill]

17. He knows of what he speaks.

[Wiz Imp]

19. He doesn't say where Democrats are supposed to get those 30 seats.

There are only 15 states where Democrats have the Governorship + both sides of the state legislature. Some of these already have 100% Democratic Congressional delegations so there is nothing to be gained in those states. We know California is doing everything they can to redraw lines and Illinois and New York have pledged to do the same. I'm not sure what' available beyond that, with the understanding that some states' constitutions would not allow for changes to be made now. Here are the states with a current Democratic trifecta and the current number of Republican seats in Congress

California (9)
Colorado (4)
Connecticut (0)
Delaware (0)
Hawaii (0)
Illinois (3)
Maine (0)
Maryland (1)
Massachusetts (0)
New Jersey (3)
New Mexico (0)
New York (7)
Oregon (1)
Rhode Island (0)
Washington (2)

That's a TOTAL of only 30 Republican seats in Democratic controlled states. It's almost certainly impossible to completely shut out Republicans in all of these states.

If California, New York & Illinois can successfully redraw their maps. then that will likely counteract the current Republican gerrymandering. Also, Virginia could probably redraw the map to add a couple more Democratic districts, but they have to win the Governorship and maintain complete control of the legislature this November first.

[Tribetime]

20. He says they should go after thirty seats about half way thru

I'm sure I don't have it exactly, right.I apologize

[FBaggins]

25. Not even "almost certainly"

It's absolutely impossible to get all 30 of those seats - or even close to that if we're talking about 2026.

[Wiz Imp]

33. I know. I just decided didn't want to come across as too negative or defeatist.

Of course, the point was Elias (who I love despite being misguided in this case) in asking for the Democrats to redistrict 30 seats is literally asking for the impossible.

[liberalla]

21. Kick!

[SheltieLover]

26. Kick

[gab13by13]

32. Good thing Elias doesn't post here

He wouldn’t be here long. 😏