J.D. Vance Drops a Major Truth Bomb About Gerrymandering and Illegal Aliens
Vice President J.D. Vance has weighed in on the hotly debated issue of congressional redistricting, defending Texas Republicans’ approval of new district maps during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press.
Vance told host Kristen Welker that the redistricting efforts in Texas aim to counteract years of aggressive Democratic gerrymandering in blue states. The Texas state Senate passed the new maps following the return of House Democrats, who had broken quorum in protest since July, temporarily halting legislative business.
Vance on Democratic Gerrymandering
“First of all, Kristen, you have to ask yourself why have Democrats gerrymandered their states aggressively in the past 10 to 20 years,” Vance said. He pointed to Massachusetts as an example, where Republicans received 32% of the vote in the 2024 elections but hold zero federal representatives.
“All we’re doing frankly is trying to make the situation a little bit more fair on a national scale,” Vance continued. “The Democrats have gerrymandered their states really aggressively. We think there are opportunities to push back, and that’s really all we’re doing.”
Vance also highlighted concerns about illegal aliens being counted in the census, arguing this inflates congressional representation in Democratic-controlled areas and skews the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Redistricting Examples in Other States
Vance cited examples across the country to justify Texas Republicans’ actions:
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California: Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled the “Election Rigging Response Act” in August, aiming to redraw congressional maps that could remove up to five Republican-held districts. California currently has a 43–9 Democratic advantage in the House delegation.
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Illinois: Democrats redrew maps ahead of the 2022 midterms, eliminating two Republican districts. Illinois’ House delegation shifted from 11 Democrats/7 Republicans in 2020 to 14 Democrats/3 Republicans in 2022.
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Massachusetts: Republicans have won statewide races, including contests carried by former Govs. Charlie Baker and Mitt Romney, yet the state has not elected a Republican to the U.S. House since 1996.
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New York: Democrats redrew maps post-2022 midterms, putting multiple Republican-held seats at risk. The state elected 19 Democrats and seven Republicans in 2024, compared to 15 Democrats and 11 Republicans in 2022.
Vance argued these examples illustrate why Republican-led states must take proactive steps to maintain balance in Congress.
Texas Redistricting Ahead of 2026 Midterms
The new Texas maps are set to take effect ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, unless blocked by legal challenges. While Democrats have signaled potential court action, Republicans maintain that the maps comply with federal law and accurately reflect population growth documented in the 2020 census.
The Texas redistricting debate highlights the national struggle over gerrymandering, voting representation, and the inclusion of non-citizens in population counts for congressional apportionment. Vance’s comments suggest that Republican-led efforts in states like Texas are a counterbalance to Democratic dominance in other regions, framing the fight as one of fairness rather than partisanship.
Implications for National Politics
As redistricting battles continue nationwide, the Texas example could serve as a blueprint for other Republican-led states seeking to protect their representation against historical Democratic gerrymanders. Meanwhile, Democratic efforts in California, New York, and Illinois indicate the ongoing partisan chess match shaping the U.S. House map ahead of future elections.
Vance’s public defense underscores the Republican argument that gerrymandering must be addressed in a more symmetrical way to prevent disproportionate influence by any one party in Congress.
