NW Illinois News

Governor JB Pritzker has recently welcomed Texas House Democrats to Illinois after they left their state to prevent a quorum on a redistricting vote. The Texas lawmakers argue that their move is an effort to protect democracy, claiming the proposed redistricting by Republicans is a partisan power grab. Governor Pritzker praised the group and reportedly offered support as they face daily fines for missing legislative sessions in Texas.

However, critics point out that Illinois has faced similar accusations regarding its own redistricting process. During his 2018 campaign, Pritzker promised voters he would veto any gerrymandered maps drawn by politicians and supported the idea of an independent commission overseeing the process. “We should have an independent commission draw the maps,” he said at the time.

Despite this pledge, in 2021 Illinois Democrats approved new congressional and legislative maps that many observers described as highly gerrymandered. The new boundaries resulted in Democrats controlling 14 out of 17 congressional seats, even though Republicans regularly receive between 40% and 45% of votes statewide. Critics note that district lines were drawn in ways that consolidated Republican voters into fewer districts.

A report from Common Cause, a nonpartisan watchdog organization, gave Illinois an “F” grade for its redistricting process in 2023. The group cited poor transparency, limited public participation, and lack of fairness as reasons for the low score.

Pritzker signed these maps into law and defended them as constitutional and fair despite criticism from independent analysts and advocacy groups.

The governor’s recent criticism of Texas Republicans for their redistricting efforts has led some to accuse him of holding a double standard. Observers say both parties are seeking partisan advantage through map drawing; however, Pritzker’s condemnation appears inconsistent with his actions during Illinois’ own redistricting process.

Some argue that if Governor Pritzker wants to be seen as committed to fair representation, he should support reforms such as establishing an independent commission before the next round of map drawing in 2030.

Chesney, a Republican who was elected to represent Illinois' 45th Senate District in 2023 after Brian Stewart stepped down, is among those watching how these developments unfold within state politics.