Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) took to X to complain about the redistricting fight currently embroiling the Texas State House, claiming that Texas Republicans were attempting to use a newly redrawn map to “rig” the 2026 midterm election.
As the Massachusetts-based far-left Squad member complained about what she said was a “cowardly, undemocratic power grab,” critics quickly pointed out that her own district is the result of an obviously gerrymandered map created by the Democrats who have controlled her state’s legislature for more than two decades.
“What Republicans are doing in Texas is a cowardly, undemocratic power grab meant to silence voters. They know their policies are deeply unpopular so they want to rig the next election. Solidarity with Texas Democrats using every tool to fight back,” Pressley posted.
What Republicans are doing in Texas is a cowardly, undemocratic power grab meant to silence voters.
They know their policies are deeply unpopular so they want to rig the next election.
Solidarity with Texas Democrats using every tool to fight back.
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) August 5, 2025
“The woman who represents this district wants you to know gerrymandering is a cowardly, undemocratic power grab,” Gerry Callahan posted in response, sharing a map of Pressley’s district.
The woman who represents this district wants you to know gerrymandering is a cowardly, undemocratic power grab. https://t.co/XChUXAXsqe pic.twitter.com/JkwayCdsqB
— Gerry Callahan (@GerryCallahan) August 6, 2025
“This is what your Congressional District looks like … it is obviously quite gerrymandered! Trump got 36% of the Massachusetts vote … and Republicans got 0% of the seats!” Andrew Follett added.
This is what your Congressional District looks like…it is obviously quite gerrymandered!
Trump got 36% of the Massachusetts vote…and Republicans got 0% of the seats! https://t.co/E9qLQXgj0c pic.twitter.com/UT8mF95hUF
— Andrew Follett (@AndrewCFollett) August 6, 2025
Former President Barack Obama weighed in as well, making it clear that the official talking points had gone out to the party. Using almost exactly the same words as Pressley, he posted, “We can’t lose focus on what matters – right now, Republicans in Texas are trying to gerrymander district lines to unfairly win five seats in next year’s midterm elections. This is a power grab that undermines our democracy.”
We can’t lose focus on what matters – right now, Republicans in Texas are trying to gerrymander district lines to unfairly win five seats in next year’s midterm elections. This is a power grab that undermines our democracy. https://t.co/lBGo5aNbyp
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 5, 2025
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) picked up on the terminology, using Obama’s home state of Illinois as an example and saying that Democrats used a different word for “gerrymandering” when the state engaging in it happened to be controlled by Democrats: “democracy.”
“Dems only call it ‘gerrymandering’ when it’s in a Republican state. When it happens in Illinois, they call it ‘democracy,’” he said.
Dems only call it “gerrymandering” when it’s in a Republican state
When it happens in Illinois, they call it “democracy” https://t.co/erlaF433p7 pic.twitter.com/4ETi84C1Cs
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 6, 2025
A number of Texas Democrats broke quorum several days earlier, bringing the legislative special session to a halt by fleeing to Illinois because they did not have the votes to stop the redistricting plan by legitimate means. In their absence, both Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) and Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-TX) have threatened to take legal action, saying that they will petition a judge to declare the seats vacant if the AWOL Democrats do not return to finish the special session by Friday.
Texas Democrats attempted a similar stunt in 2021 as an effort to block certain provisions of a voting rights bill, and Abbott threatened at the time to withhold their pay.
