Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker appeared on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Monday night, where he was confronted with allegations of gerrymandering in his state. The segment began with Colbert highlighting the peculiar shapes of Illinois’s congressional districts, prompting laughter from the audience as he pointed to the map's contorted lines.
Colbert's comedic approach quickly turned to a more serious inquiry, "Is this common for all states to do?" Pritzker attempted to deflect with humor, responding, "We hand it over to a kindergarten class and let them decide." However, Colbert persisted, questioning the impartiality of the redistricting process, to which Pritzker failed to provide a clear answer.
The redrawn Illinois congressional map, crafted in 2021 by the Democratic-controlled state legislature, has been a point of contention, with nonpartisan election analysts and good-government groups identifying it as one of the most egregious examples of redistricting abuse in the United States. Unlike some states that employ independent commissions for redistricting, the process in Illinois was managed entirely by Democratic lawmakers. This allowed for the manipulation of district boundaries to dilute Republican-leaning areas by incorporating them into Democratic-dominated urban districts.
When pressed on the issue, Pritzker shifted the conversation to Texas, where Republicans, allegedly at the behest of Donald Trump, conducted a mid-decade redistricting. He highlighted the unusual nature of this move, drawing attention away from the practices in his own state. This deflection came amidst a backdrop of political theater in Texas, where Democratic lawmakers had previously fled the state to prevent a legislative quorum, and where Governor Greg Abbott had threatened arrests and former President Trump had called for their return to duty.
The contrast between the national reaction to Texas's redistricting efforts and the relative silence regarding Illinois's map raises questions about partisan bias and the integrity of the electoral process. Despite concerns about fairness and transparency, Illinois Democrats successfully passed their map, solidifying their hold on congressional seats and protecting incumbents. This outcome has led to accusations of hypocrisy against Governor Pritzker, particularly in light of his criticism of similar Republican tactics.
