Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff in President Donald Trump's first term, warned Tuesday on Newsmax that the manipulative approach by Democrats to drawing congressional maps threatens fair representation in Congress.
Meadows told "The Record With Greta Van Susteren" that Democrats have long abused the redistricting process to lock in political power rather than earn the trust of voters.
"Whether you take Illinois or Massachusetts or Connecticut or even California, where they're talking about redistricting, it's to predominantly pack those voters that would go for Democrat candidates in strategic ways," Meadows said. "It's not about real representation."
Illinois lost a congressional seat after the 2020 census but still managed to redraw its congressional map to add two Democrat-friendly districts.
"One of them looks like a banana, the other like a horseshoe," said Meadows, adding "snake districts" that Democrats have drawn to ensure a partisan advantage.
He added that California has repeatedly followed the same playbook, manipulating district lines to safeguard Democrat incumbents rather than reflect genuine geographic and community interests. For Meadows, fair representation means more geographically coherent districts that give voters a true voice, not boundaries designed to predetermine election outcomes.
As Democrats push forward with redistricting maneuvers, Meadows said their political leaders are more focused on raising money than addressing the concerns of everyday Americans. He noted a Democrat-led fundraiser featuring former President Barack Obama on Martha's Vineyard, contrasting it with Republicans' efforts to win voters on ideas rather than money.
"Instead of changing their appeal to the voter and what they stand for, they're actually appealing for dollars so that they can change the redistricting so they don't have to change what they believe in," Meadows said. "It's fascinating — and frustrating — that Democrats would rather manipulate maps than make their case to the American people."
The stakes, Meadows emphasized, could not be higher. With Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., holding a slim majority in the House, even a handful of districts could decide whether Republicans maintain control after the 2026 midterm elections or hand the gavel to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
"This is probably the most critical battle that will happen over the next several months," Meadows said. "It will define who ultimately has the gavel and who is the speaker of the House. But more importantly, it will determine the kind of majority the American people get to rely on."
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