Republicans cannot gerrymander their way to victory, says Hakeem Jeffries
- Hakeem Jeffries emphasized Democrats’ focus on health care and anti-corruption for the 2026 election.
- Jeffries defended the New York redistricting process as bipartisan, contrasting it with Texas' actions.
- He concluded that Republicans cannot gerrymander effectively to achieve electoral success.
In a recent appearance on CNN’s 'State of the Union', House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) expressed confidence that Republicans will not be able to secure enough House seats through gerrymandering to prevent Democrats from gaining a majority in the 2026 midterm elections. Jeffries emphasized the need for the Democratic Party to focus on policy issues, such as healthcare reform and anti-corruption measures, highlighting that the party has an affirmative agenda to present to voters. He pointed out that the Republicans are panicking due to their previous failures and the imminent electoral challenges they face. CNN host Dana Bash challenged Jeffries about the Democratic Party's own redistricting efforts, specifically in New York, where Democrats sought to reject congressional maps proposed by an independent redistricting commission. Jeffries defended the Democrats' actions by explaining that the new congressional maps were approved on a bipartisan basis by the New York state legislature, implying that this process differs significantly from Texas' recent redistricting, which he characterized as racially and politically motivated gerrymandering initiated by Donald Trump. The discussion transitioned to question the feasibility of drawing new congressional maps in New York prior to the upcoming elections. Jeffries pointed out that the legislative maps in Texas were specifically designed to benefit Republican candidates and aimed to manipulate the electoral landscape. In contrast, Democrats in New York have a strategic response plan regarding congressional maps. He reassured viewers that there exists a responsive plan to adapt to changing circumstances across various regions, including New York. Reflecting on the broader electoral landscape, Jeffries noted that during Trump’s first midterm in 2018, Democrats had lost 24 seats but managed to regain 40 seats that election cycle. This underscores his belief in the Democrats' capacity to overcome the gerrymandered advantages held by Republicans. Ultimately, he asserted that Republicans cannot engineer an electoral win through gerrymandering, as the upcoming elections will be determined by the American people's choices on pressing political issues.