Vance Discusses Gerrymandering and Congressional Map Changes on NBC

During an appearance on NBC’s “Press the Press,” Vice President JD Vance addressed questions from host Kristen Welker about why Republicans are looking to secure more legislative seats, especially when President Donald Trump’s agenda seems to resonate with many Americans.

Vance expressed his approval of a new Congressional district map that was passed on Saturday, which came after Texas Democrats ended a quorum on August 18. He pointed out that some Democrat-led states have engaged in gerrymandering for years, particularly emphasizing Texas Democrats’ actions.

“Kristen needs to consider why Democrats have gerrymandered their states over the past decade or two,” he remarked. “You see, for example, in Massachusetts, only about 32% of the voters are Republicans, yet they have no Republican federal representatives.”

“Honestly, all we’re attempting to do is level the playing field on a national level,” Vance continued. “Democrats have aggressively manipulated district lines, and we see this as an opportunity to counteract that.”

Welker also brought up a report from the Wall Street Journal regarding Tesla CEO Elon Musk re-evaluating his plans to launch a third party. In response to the changes in Texas districts, California Democrat Gavin Newsom described the new map as the “Election Rigging Response Act,” aiming to remove the five seats currently held by Republicans while intensifying political tensions nationwide.

Newsom added, “Wake up, America. Wake up. Even if he loses this election, the situation will still be dire. There may end up being a president serving a third term.”

Following the 2024 elections, California’s congressional makeup is expected to shift to 43 Democrats and nine Republicans, a change from the 40 Democrats and 12 Republicans after the previous midterms.

In Illinois, redistricting before the 2022 midterms led to the elimination of two Republican seats, which was notable after the events of January 6, including the district once held by Adam Kinzinger, a vocal critic of Trump. Following the 2020 census, Illinois transitioned from a configuration of 14 Democrats and three Republicans to 11 Democrats and seven Republicans.

Massachusetts saw Republican Mitt Romney and Charlie Baker win the governor’s race, but they weren’t able to secure Congressional seats in 1996. Meanwhile, New York’s recent redistricting led to new dynamics, where newly drawn maps put six of eleven Republican-held seats at risk, shifting the balance to seven seats held by Democrats after the tally from the 2024 elections.