JB Pritzker claims Texas redistricting is ‘cheating’ because they’re afraid of losing 2026 midterms

Pritzker said that the Texas Democrats, who in leaving the state have prevented the quorum needed to conduct a vote on the new map, "are demonstrating what it means to fight for the preservation of our constitutional republic.

He said that Trump, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and Texas Republicans "know that they’re headed toward a loss of the Congress in 2026" and are "afraid."

"And they should be, because when you try to tear health care away from veterans and seniors, from children and people with disabilities, when you raise tariff taxes on groceries and beer and automobiles, when you let poor and working class families go hungry, when you allow smoke stack industries to pollute the air and remove safety standards from food producers, well—all so that you can give a massive tax break to Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos and Bill Ackman—Well, frankly, you'd better watch out," he continued. "You’re going to lose your elections."

Pritzker claimed that "they’ve decided that the only way to save themselves is to cheat, to change the rules in the middle of the game," and said of MAGA Republicans in Texas, "when Donald Trump calls, they say, 'yes sir. Right away, sir. Happy to lick your boot, sir."

"When Donald Trump says, jump Greg Abbott and Ken Paxton say how high? They don't care that they're violating the Voting Rights Act and racially gerrymandering their state, well, they're hoping they can rob the bank and get away before anyone notices. Texas Republicans are trying to diminish the voting power of their own constituents, and in doing so, diminish the rights of Illinoisans and all Americans."

He said that the state of Illinois "is proud to stand side by side with these brave Texas Democrats, heroes in the battle to save our democracy."

While fielding questions from reporters, Pritzker was asked what Illinois could do to push back against what was happening in another state. "Here in the state of Illinois, it is possible to redistrict, it's not something that I want to do. It's not something that any of us want to have to do.

"We're hoping that this will be successful," he went on, "the fact that there's no quorum in Texas will be successful, but, but once again, we're fighting for democracy. There are no rules anymore, apparently, and so we're going to have to play by the set of rules that well, that are being set out in front of us, which frankly, none of us believes is the right way to operate."