NW Illinois News

State Senator Li Arellano Jr. (R-Dixon) has publicly criticized Governor JB Pritzker over his stance on redistricting, accusing the governor of hypocrisy and failing to fulfill campaign promises related to fair political maps in Illinois.

“First, no government should be gerrymandering its political maps. Gerrymandering is an unethical process that undermines the power of the people to choose their own leaders, thus subverting the true representation that is foundational to our state governments,” Arellano said. “Governor Pritzker has no ground to stand on when talking about gerrymandering. He campaigned on delivering fair maps for Illinois, then turned around and signed his name to some of the most blatantly rigged maps in the country. He lied to voters—plain and simple.”

Arellano's criticism comes as Governor Pritzker has spoken out against redistricting efforts in other states, such as Texas. The senator pointed out that while Governor Pritzker welcomed Texas Democrats who traveled to Illinois to avoid a redistricting vote in their own state, Illinois itself holds an “F” rating for partisan voter suppression.

The senator further noted that Governor Pritzker has been active discussing redistricting issues nationally instead of addressing concerns within Illinois.

“As I came into my position as state senator, I always maintained that transparency and accountability remain at the center of my work. I will call out others in this state, including governors, when they tarnish those principles—especially when they have violated our Illinois Constitution,” Arellano said. “Our governor pledged to veto partisan maps, then hypocritically signed off on them, and now flip flops back to calling it ‘cheating.’ He broke his promise then, and continues to put politics, including national politics, before what Illinois needs—and what the Illinois Constitution demands. To use his own word: Governor Pritzker is cheating Illinoisans out of their voice every election cycle.”

Arellano was elected as a Republican in 2025 to represent the 37th Senate District in Illinois, succeeding Win Stoller.