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* Let’s once again go back to March 5, 2018 and my question to all gubernatorial candidates…
Will you pledge as governor to veto any state legislative redistricting map proposal that is in any way drafted or created by legislators, political party leaders and/or their staffs or allies? The exception, of course, would be the final official draft by LRB.
* JB Pritzker’s response…
Yes, I will pledge to veto. We should amend the constitution to create an independent commission to draw legislative maps, but in the meantime, I would urge Democrats and Republicans to agree to an independent commission to handle creating a new legislative map. That designated body should reflect the gender, racial, and geographic diversity of the state and look to preserve the Voting Rights Act decisions to ensure racial and language minorities are fully represented in the electoral process.
* Gov. Pritzker today…
Well as I said I will veto an unfair map. I have also said that in order for us to have an independent commission, we needed to have a constitutional amendment, something that would actually change the way the process operates today in the Constitution. That did not happen. So now, as we reach the end of this session and I look to the legislature for their proposal for a redistricting map, I’ll be looking to it for its fairness. And that’s something that’s vitally important for our state, as an effect on the next 10 years and representation throughout the state.
The Illinois Constitution does not need to be changed to create a fair map process. It can be done by statute or even a joint resolution of both chambers. And while Pritzker preferred a constitutional amendment in 2018, he clearly didn’t predicate an independent commission on an amendment.
* More Pritzker today…
Well, I do believe that Democrats and Republicans should get together to adopt this map. I hope that Republicans will choose to work with Democrats on the map. Right now it looks like they’re just saying ‘no,’ they’re not really engaging and all they’re doing is fighting in these redistricting hearings, which I think have been so important for hearing what people across the state really want in a redistricting map.
Hardly anybody went to those hearings.
* More…
Well actually I would say that the map that was put together for the last 10 years started out with a very strong leaning toward fairness, which was the Supreme Court rulings of the past, dictated the drawing of minority districts in the state. To start with, that map, and then you have to draw from there. As you know Dave, there are parts of the state that are overwhelmingly one party or another party, and it’s very difficult to draw competitive districts in those areas. But I do believe that once you put these Supreme Court rulings onto the map face, then you can begin to put this fair map and something that is inclusive of all of our diversity across the state into that map.
Your thoughts?
…Adding… House Republican Leader Jim Durkin…
“The Governor seems to suffer from retrograde amnesia on this important topic. The Governor needs to lead and ensure that an independent body draw the maps as he promised.”
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy…
“The people of Illinois fundamentally do not trust our leadership in Springfield to spend their money wisely, to do the right thing, or to reform our system. Absolutely nothing fuels that fire more than politicians who say one thing to get elected and then do another once in power. Governor Pritzker lied to the people of Illinois and promised to turn our partisan and corrupt system of redistricting over to an independent commission.
The Governor should come to his senses and keep his word by vetoing the politician’s map. A man is nothing without his word. Pritzker still has the chance to keep his.”
US Rep. Rodney Davis…
“Governor Pritzker lied to people of Illinois, plain and simple. When he was a candidate for Governor in 2018, Pritzker made an ironclad promise to voters that he would veto any redistricting proposal that was drawn by legislators. That turned out to be a lie. Now that he’s in power and the Democrats have maintained their supermajority control of the General Assembly, Pritzker is enabling a partisan redistricting process that will be used to tighten his party’s grip on power for another decade. That’s wrong, and it’s not what the people of Illinois want. Governor Pritzker has turned out to be the latest failed, self-serving, Illinois politician who lied his way into office by saying one thing to voters and doing another once in office.”
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:28 am
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He’s right. Illinois isn’t even in the top 10 most gerrymandered. I wish it were.
Comment by SWIL_Voter Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:32 am
Shocker. Another politician completely breaking his clear-as-day campaign promises. And then trying to re-cast what he said.
Comment by Smalls Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:34 am
Anyone who cares about keeping the GOP out of power should tolerate some hypocrisy from Pritzker on this point. It’s not a coincidence that all the fair map ads on this site, and elsewhere, are being placed by GOP and business-allied groups.
Comment by Quibbler Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:41 am
=Well actually I would say that the map that was put together for the last 10 years started out with a very strong leaning toward fairness=
JB has a short memory, the LWV thought otherwise…
“Quinn defends the remap, the league says Democratic lawmakers did not use objective criteria to come up with the new districts…On Tuesday, the League of Women Voters filed a lawsuit complaining that the new district maps violate voters’ first amendment rights by drawing new districts to favor incumbents, a practice that is called gerrymandering.”
https://abc7chicago.com/archive/8308965/
Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:43 am
I have a lot of trouble pretending that Democrats shouldn’t gerrymander when a Supreme Court majority appointed entirely by Republicans just told the states to go hog wild.
Comment by Watcher of the Skies Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:48 am
“Fairness” has always been in the eye of the beholder
Comment by Nick Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:49 am
Pritzker lied. He lied to gain political power.
Now he has the political power. And he’s lying about his promises.
Comment by Lion King Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:49 am
If the governor, speaker, Dems, can lean heavy-heavy on the Voters Rights Act criteria in any map devised, then the argument is a simple one;
“We can’t help that Republicans in this state are so strongly against maps based on the Voters Rights Act and its criteria. The goal of Illinois Republicans seems to be to disenfranchise enough people who don’t look like them in hopes of climbing out of such a political hole rejection, the Illinois Republicans need to reject fairness to manipulate their own failings”
Need to get ahead and attack back to fight off questions and “allegations”.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:49 am
Gosh, reading today’s CapFax, you’d think Gov. Pritzker and Speaker Welch have settled on a dangerous branding strategy:
Ignore any commitment we make, any reform we endorse, any honorable principle we pretend to hold. Ignore our promises, and watch us put party hegemony ahead of our reputations. Even if these are the sorts of sly reversals that obituary writers like to highlight.
Comment by Perplexed Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:51 am
Do the Democrats really have something to fear from a independent commission drawing the maps? You would not think so. Illinois is blue, and would remain so under a fair map.
Comment by The Fellow Edgar Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:58 am
==Hardly anybody went to those hearings.==
Zero. That’s the number of witnesses invited by the GOP.
Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:01 pm
“Your thoughts?”
I hope they do everything possible to keep the Republicans where they belong; super-minority status while creating chaos with the Congressional map. JB and other democrats lied through their teeth. They knew it when they said it. I knew it when they said it. And I don’t care. I will be disappointed if they don’t break their promise.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:02 pm
=== you’d think Gov. Pritzker and Speaker Welch ===
Meh.
It has to pass through the House and the Senate.
It’s not like its unilateral. Plus, as far as hard core Dems go, this might strengthen them as other states disenfranchise more and more voters.
Your screech is as partisan as you are trying to point out, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:03 pm
Well that map created enough democrats to pass his fair tax agenda, so to him that is absolutely true! Too bad the voters didn’t agree, but really, who cares about voters in this game?
Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:07 pm
=== Governor Pritzker is a lot like Vice President Kamala Harris.
They like to fly around and be called Governor, /Vice President,but don’t want to be accountable for much.===
(Sigh)
Governors own. They always do.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:08 pm
GOP screams fairness and never practices what they scream. Not a single GOP controlled state has demonstrated that they give a damn about fairness. It’s all about power.
While I fully support a more independent process, the idea that Illinois is among the biggest gerrymandering offenders is not supported by the facts. Republican failures in this state are far more about the weakness of the IL GOP (perhaps try raising money from someone other than Uhlein?) than about unfair maps.
Comment by Southern Skeptic Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:11 pm
The Fellow Edgar is right. The politics of Illinois is nothing like it was in 1991 when the Republicans could gerrymander their way to a decade-long Senate majority. A 2021 Republican gerrymander would be unlikely to flip either chamber outside of a wave election. An independently-drawn map would be even less likely to endanger the Democrats’ majorities.
Comment by muon Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:13 pm
Complying the with Voting Rights Act is Job 1. The challenge is to endure Butler who is becoming so high drama that he is making Zock look normal.
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:16 pm
=== it’s very difficult to draw competitive districts in those areas.===
Indeed. Downstate is a different situation, where the cities can trend blue in a sea of rural red. It’s similar to drawing boundaries for minority populations…blue cities can easily be diluted by surrounding areas, and need to be kept together to have any voice at all. The GOP has done that in the past, and will do so in the future if they get a chance.
Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:16 pm
The governor is doing some growing of his own.
However if they ever do try the pass another fair tax amendment, You can just imagine the ads that will be crafted from this.
Comment by Fav human Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:16 pm
===You would not think so. Illinois is blue===
No.
Illinois had been rejecting Raunerites and Trumpkins.
When Republicans decide being old, angry, and white isn’t enough, they will be competitive.
It’s lazy and disingenuous to flippantly say Illinois is “blue”… and ignore Ives, Bailey, Oberweis, Miller,…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:16 pm
Hardly anyone went to the redistricting hearings because most voters really don’t care. This is an “issue” kicked up by the ILGOP because it’s badly out of power. I’m trying to remember if they were this invested in a redistricting commission back when they had all statewide offices and both houses of the GA.
Comment by Curious citizen Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:17 pm
OW - Illinois has been solidly “blue” by any reasonable measure since the mid-1990’s. Total votes for federal offices are pretty clear, and that is what most people look at when they describe the partisan leanings of the state.
That’s not to say that a Republican can’t beat a Democrat for Governor in the right year, since clearly it happened in 2014. But that happens in other “blue” states like Massachusetts and Maryland, too.
Comment by muon Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:31 pm
=== Illinois has been solidly “blue” by any reasonable measure since the mid-1990’s. Total votes for federal offices are pretty clear, and that is what most people look at when they describe the partisan leanings of the state.===
Mark Kirk
Judy Baar Topinka
Dan Rutherford
Pate kept the Senate all through the 90s
Dold, Hultgren, Walsh, Roskam,
Look at the candidates Republicans have fielded versus who use to win.
That article about New Trier township nails it as well.
It’s like if the GOP was Cherry Coke… but lately instead of sugar the GOP has replaced it with salt thinking it would sell now.
=== That’s not to say that a Republican can’t beat a Democrat for Governor in the right year, since clearly it happened in 2014. But that happens in other “blue” states like Massachusetts and Maryland, too.===
The past 46 years had 32 years with a Republican as governor.
When the GOP decides Cherry Coke with salt won’t work…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:37 pm
Republicans and Goo Goos should start whatever process they think is fair now. If we get a commission in July and a coin toss after that, it’ll be too late for anyone to run a process that meets anyone’s definition of “fair.”
Comment by Socially DIstant watcher Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:41 pm
How can anyone still be surprised by this?
Comment by ;) Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:53 pm
===still be surprised===
It’s documenting history. Your goofy attempt at being more cynical than thou notwithstanding.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:55 pm
OW - You have listed the exceptions that prove the rule. There was a political shift in this state that begins in the mid-1990s. For example the margins out of Cook took a big jump towards Democrats during the Clinton administration and stayed there to the present. So rather than talk about the last 46 years, it is much more useful to look at the last 20 years.
Since 2000 there has been very little support for Republicans statewide, especially at the top of a ticket. Mark Kirk won an election with the Blago scandal still on everyone’s mind. Rauner won during a big year for Republicans in other Democratic states, hence my examples of Baker in Massachusetts and Hogan in Maryland who also won in 2014. Nobody would consider those states less “blue” because of their governors. Why should Illinois be seen differently?
Comment by muon Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 1:04 pm
As has been noted earlier: The January 6 coup attempt has forced many of us to reexamine the delicate balance between our idealism and self-defense.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 1:15 pm
=== You have listed the exceptions that prove the rule. ===
LOL
No, I’m showing, easily and recently, how the wrong type of candidates after winning candidates left the stage have marginalized Republicans.
It’s like saying Trump, but ignoring everything before Trump.
It’s like saying Rauner, but wholly ignoring the damage Rauner, and Diana Rauner too, did to the brand.
=== Mark Kirk won===
=== Rauner won===
You forgot Rutherford, you forgot jbt, you keep ignoring the realities to just plum “want” this blue thingy to be real.
It ain’t.
It’s everything that points to folks dismissing and rejecting what is in front of them, not solid candidates who lost because they had no shot.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 1:17 pm
My thoughts: Pritzker lied and human beings are really good with mental gymnastics to justify their lies.
Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 1:42 pm
“breaking his clear-as-day campaign promises.”
He was for it before he was agin it.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 1:43 pm
The map is definitely not fair. Is Illinois the most gerrymandered state no but it isn’t a fair map either. The governor tips his hand he will sign another gerrymander, which is what we expected anyway.
Comment by papak Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 2:46 pm
you’re going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.
Comment by Anonish Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 2:46 pm
I support a truly fair redistricting process. It’s good government at its best. But at the end of the day, district lines alone won’t change the fact that over the last 20 years the ILGOP has lost significant ground in the suburbs. Districts that were solidly Republican even 2-3 years ago are now held by Democrats. Rep. Mark Walker is in a seat he nearly won in 2018 (and was held by a Republican for 8 years) and the ILGOP didn’t even bother finding a candidate against him in 2020. Fair maps are important, but the ILGOP needs candidates and policies that resonate with the people of Illinois who live outside of central, downstate, and Illinois.
Comment by SuburbanRepublican Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 3:24 pm
“fair redistricting”
Fair for who?
Fair is in the eye of the beholder.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 5:29 pm