Donald trump blamed for sparking brutal gerrymandering war across America

Donald Trump has been accused of fuelling a political battle over who can twist the rules of democracy more effectively, according to a scathing Wall Street Journal editorial published on Thursday. The paper’s board argued that the former president set off the latest gerrymandering fight by pushing Texas Republicans to redraw their congressional map in a way that heavily favours his party.

The Journal pointed out that Texas lawmakers have forced through a new map that gives Republicans an advantage in five seats currently held by Democrats. To make sure Democrats couldn’t block the move, police escorts were even brought in to prevent them from staging another walkout to deny a quorum.

The editorial also noted that Florida and Missouri are considering similar plans, while in California, Governor Gavin Newsom has hit back with a referendum proposal that would carve out five Republican-held districts.

“President Trump started this latest gerrymander brawl by urging Lone Star Republicans to redraw their Congressional map to mitigate potential GOP losses in next year’s midterm elections,” the board wrote. “His Justice Department also threatened to challenge the state’s existing map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.”

The Journal didn’t spare Democrats either, arguing that they also manipulate the system but prefer to do it through the courts while presenting themselves as defenders of democracy.

The board described Democrats as “more aggressive in using courts rather than legislatures to redraw maps, all while pretending to defend democracy or fight racism.”

Still, the paper warned Republicans that their short-term victories might not last. Gerrymandered seats, it said, can easily be lost in major election swings like those in 2006 and 2018. With many Americans not firmly tied to either party, Republicans risk blowback from voters who may see the new maps as a blatant power grab.

“Texas Republicans also risk inviting a voter backlash that could flip a Senate seat if state Attorney General Ken Paxton defeats Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP primary,” the editorial warned. It added that gerrymandering erodes political competition and has been steadily getting worse, with Congress doing little to rein it in because politicians of both parties prefer the safety of secure districts.

“Unless voters rebel, it will continue,” the Journal concluded. “At least the political cynicism is no longer hiding behind false flags.”