STOP TRUMP’S ATTEMPTS TO GERRYMANDER HIMSELF A 2026 MAGA HOUSE
QUICK READ: Donald Trump is trying to cheat his way to a 2026 MAGA House of Representatives, where politicians choose their voters rather than voters choosing their representatives—setting off possible gerrymandering wars in red and blue states. This travesty is only possible because SCOTUS, in 2018, ruled 5-4 that partisan gerrymandering was a nonjusticiable political issue.
CONTENTS:
BACKGROUND
Last month Trump signed into law the most regressive, unpopular law in modern American history cutting healthcare and food assistance and giving tax breaks to his billionaire friends. Neither it nor his other unpopular initiatives would have been possible without a submissive Congress that relinquished its tariff and appropriations powers and refused to criticize or rein in his unconstitutional behavior. All this, however, along with mishandling the Epstein files, makes retaining his House majority highly unlikely.
Trump’s ability to stomp out democracy and complete his authoritarian agenda would be impossible with Democrats controlling the House—conducting oversight and investigations, undoing his most outrageous policies, rejecting his budgets, and possibly impeaching him again.
So, just as he’d asked Georgia’s Secretary of State to find him 11,780 votes in 2020, he publicly demanded Texas re-redraw its heavily gerrymandered Congressional map to give him 5 additional GOP-controlled seats, which, with those other GOP states created, would protect his House majority.
Once Texas’ scheme to flip 5 Democratic seats filled largely with black and Hispanic, was unveiled, because voting requires a quorum, Democrats could only derail by skipping quorum and leaving the state—which they did on August 3. If they can stay away until November, re-redistricting fails.
If Texas succeeds, California’s, New York’s, and Illinois’ Governors are threatening to eliminate GOP seats in their states. Several blue-state GOP Congresspeople, fearing their seats’ loss, just introduced bills prohibiting mid-decade redistricting and partisan gerrymandering.
Our MoCs must stop this brazenly unconstitutional racial and political voter suppression and assist the brave Texas Democrats fighting to protect democracy.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
Script for Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
In our democracy, voters are supposed to pick their leaders rather than politicians picking their constituents. I demand that you to do everything in your power to stop Trump and his GOP lackeys from brazenly unconstitutional racial and political voter suppression, including: (1) working to create a bipartisan majority to ban mid-decade redistricting efforts being pushed by Trump and Vance; (2) co-sponsoring and pushing legislation ending partisan gerrymandering and mandating independent redistricting commissions for every state; (3) demanding that state-level Democrats fight fire with if GOP states engage in mid-decade redistricting, (4) publicly supporting the brave Texas Democrats fighting to protect democracy and publicizing and attending August 16’s national day of action.
SEN. WYDEN:
Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
In our democracy, voters are supposed to pick their leaders rather than politicians picking their constituents. I demand that you to do everything in your power to stop Trump and his GOP lackeys from brazenly unconstitutional racial and political voter suppression, including: (1) working to create a bipartisan majority to ban mid-decade redistricting efforts being pushed by Trump and Vance; (2) co-sponsoring and pushing legislation ending partisan gerrymandering and mandating independent redistricting commissions for every state; (3) demanding that state-level Democrats fight fire with if GOP states engage in mid-decade redistricting, (4) publicly supporting the brave Texas Democrats fighting to protect democracy and publicizing and attending August 16’s national day of action.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
In our democracy, voters are supposed to pick their leaders rather than politicians picking their constituents. I am calling on you to reaffirm this principle and denounce Trump’s brazen attempts at voter suppression. Your constituents oppose political gerrymandering, seek an end to these gerrymandering wars once and for all, and want everyone’s vote to be meaningful, and I expect you to carry this message to Congress when you return from the August recess.
ACTION TWO: Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
In our democracy, voters are supposed to pick their leaders rather than politicians picking their constituents. I demand that you to do everything in your power to stop Trump and his GOP lackeys from brazenly unconstitutional racial and political voter suppression, including (1) cooperating with disgruntled House Republicans on a bipartisan discharge petition to ban mid-decade redistricting and partisan gerrymandering; (2) co-sponsoring and pushing legislation ending partisan gerrymandering and mandating independent redistricting commissions for every state; (3) convincing Democratic governors to fight fire with fire if GOP states engage in mid-decade redistricting, and (4) publicly supporting the brave Texas Democrats fighting to protect democracy and publicizing and attending August 16’s national day of action.
Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
In our democracy, voters are supposed to pick their leaders rather than politicians picking their constituents. I am calling on you to reaffirm this principle and denounce Trump’s brazen attempts at voter suppression. Your constituents oppose political gerrymandering, seek an end to these gerrymandering wars once and for all, and want everyone’s vote to be meaningful, and I expect you to carry this message to Congress when you return from the August recess.
Script for Maxine Dexter (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
In our democracy, voters are supposed to pick their leaders rather than politicians picking their constituents. I demand that you to do everything in your power to stop Trump and his GOP lackeys from brazenly unconstitutional racial and political voter suppression, including (1) cooperating with disgruntled House Republicans on a bipartisan discharge petition to ban mid-decade redistricting and partisan gerrymandering; (2) co-sponsoring and pushing legislation ending partisan gerrymandering and mandating independent redistricting commissions for every state; (3) convincing Democratic governors to fight fire with fire if GOP states engage in mid-decade redistricting, and (4) publicly supporting the brave Texas Democrats fighting to protect democracy and publicizing and attending August 16’s national day of action.
Script for Val Hoyle (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
In our democracy, voters are supposed to pick their leaders rather than politicians picking their constituents. I demand that you to do everything in your power to stop Trump and his GOP lackeys from brazenly unconstitutional racial and political voter suppression, including (1) cooperating with disgruntled House Republicans on a bipartisan discharge petition to ban mid-decade redistricting and partisan gerrymandering; (2) co-sponsoring and pushing legislation ending partisan gerrymandering and mandating independent redistricting commissions for every state; (3) convincing Democratic governors to fight fire with fire if GOP states engage in mid-decade redistricting, and (4) publicly supporting the brave Texas Democrats fighting to protect democracy and publicizing and attending August 16’s national day of action.
Script for Janelle Bynum (OR-05)
DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
In our democracy, voters are supposed to pick their leaders rather than politicians picking their constituents. I demand that you to do everything in your power to stop Trump and his GOP lackeys from brazenly unconstitutional racial and political voter suppression, including (1) cooperating with disgruntled House Republicans on a bipartisan discharge petition to ban mid-decade redistricting and partisan gerrymandering; (2) co-sponsoring and pushing legislation ending partisan gerrymandering and mandating independent redistricting commissions for every state; (3) convincing Democratic governors to fight fire with fire if GOP states engage in mid-decade redistricting, and (4) publicly supporting the brave Texas Democrats fighting to protect democracy and publicizing and attending August 16’s national day of action.
Script for Andrea Salinas (OR-06)
Salem office: 503-385-0906 | DC office: 202-225-5643
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
In our democracy, voters are supposed to pick their leaders rather than politicians picking their constituents. I demand that you to do everything in your power to stop Trump and his GOP lackeys from brazenly unconstitutional racial and political voter suppression, including (1) cooperating with disgruntled House Republicans on a bipartisan discharge petition to ban mid-decade redistricting and partisan gerrymandering; (2) co-sponsoring and pushing legislation ending partisan gerrymandering and mandating independent redistricting commissions for every state; (3) convincing Democratic governors to fight fire with fire if GOP states engage in mid-decade redistricting, and (4) publicly supporting the brave Texas Democrats fighting to protect democracy and publicizing and attending August 16’s national day of action.
FURTHER READING
The Texas Map Fight: Gerrymandering, Walkouts, and a Threat to Democracy
The Quorum Break Heard Across the Nation
How did we get all this gerrymandering? A short history of the republican redistricting scheme
How Did We Arrive at this Redistricting Mess? The Supreme Court, Of Course
In Election Cases Supreme Court Keeps Removing Guardrails
Republicans Aren’t Gunning for 5 House Seats. They’re Aiming to Steal 42
4 Possible outcomes of a gerrymandering battle royale
Can Democrats Fight Back Against Trump’s Redistricting Scheme
Trump-Mandering? Why Democrats Are Blocking Republican Redistricting
