Bernie Sanders calls Texas redistricting push 'pathetic,' urges Dems to 'fight back'
WASHINGTON − Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders in a new interview called the Republican redistricting push in Texas “pathetic” and urged Democrats to “fight back.”
Sanders’ remarks to CNN’s Dana Bash come as Texas Democrats fled the Lone Star State Aug. 3 to try to block a redistricting effort that could give House Republicans up to five more seats in the 2026 midterms. President Donald Trump has pushed for the changes.
“What Trump is trying to do, he understands that there is a good chance that Republicans will lose control over the House," Sanders said.
"So what should Democrats do? Sit back and say, ‘Oh, gee, Trump is doing this terrible - we can't do anything. Let them win the election,’ when they shouldn't? So Democrats have got to fight back. I think it's pathetic, but I think that's what they've got to do,” Sanders said.
Democratic governors Gavin Newsom of California, Kathy Hochul of New York and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois have threatened to launch their own redistricting efforts that could give Democrats a boost, sparking a tit-for-tat.
Redistricting is required by federal law every 10 years following the release of new U.S. Census Bureau figures; however, Trump encouraged Texas Republicans to jumpstart the process in the middle of the decade. The president argued during an Aug. 5 appearance on CNBC that Republicans "are entitled to five more seats" in Texas because of his 2024 election victory in the state.
The 38-member Texas congressional delegation is currently comprised of 25 Republicans, 12 Democrats and there is one vacant seat that leans Democratic.
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott last week ordered Texas law enforcement to arrest Democratic lawmakers who left the state to prevent the legislature from having a quorum to block a vote on redistricting. Many of the state lawmakers went to nearby Illinois.
But the longtime independent lawmaker on CNN's "State of the Union" said he believes Democrats have more work to do beyond the southern redistricting fight.
Sanders, who is traveling around the country on a "fighting oligarchy tour" aimed at mobilizing voters against the Trump administration, accused Democrats of turning their back on working class Americans. For example, he claimed former Vice President Kamala Harris was “heavily influenced by very wealthy people” in her 2024 presidential campaign, which she lost to Trump.
“How do you run for president and not develop a strong agenda which speaks to the economic crisis facing working families?” he said. “You have more income and wealth inequality today than we’ve ever had.”
Contributing: Joey Garrison