Kathy Hochul’s Redistricting Fantasy: “If Texas Can Do It, So Can We!”

Kathy Hochul has officially joined the Democratic Governors’ Hall of Delusion. Her latest gem? A promise to “revisit” New York’s congressional maps if Republicans in Texas redraw their districts to favor the GOP. Translation: If they play hardball, so will we!

Kathy, Kathy, Kathy… I don’t know how to break it to you, but New York is already a Democratic playground. You want to “add more Democratic districts”? Where exactly? Maybe you can gerrymander the Hudson River into a congressional district for ducks and kayakers—they’ll vote blue for sure.

New York’s Map: Already a Picasso of Partisan Lines

New York’s congressional map is already a masterclass in creative cartography. Staten Island gets duct-taped to southern Brooklyn like a mismatched art project. Upstate towns are glued together into shapes that look like spilled spaghetti. And Hochul thinks she can get even “smarter” about this? Careful, Kathy—you might accidentally carve out a Republican stronghold or two if you get too clever.

Remember, Democrats tried this just two years ago. They crafted a map so hilariously slanted that even New York’s own liberal courts laughed and tossed it. That’s right, New York—a state run by Democrats top to bottom—had to be told to chill on the gerrymandering.

The National Delusion: It’s Not Just Kathy

And Hochul isn’t alone. Democrats across the country are having a collective meltdown because Texas Republicans might redraw their map. Suddenly, it’s a chorus of:

• Illinois: “Maybe we should add a couple more Chicago districts. Who cares if the map looks like a lightning bolt?”
• California: “We can always slice Orange County into six skinny little blue churros, right?”
• Maryland: “Hold my crab cake. We’ve been turning 4 Republican seats into 1 for years. Learn from the masters.”

The hypocrisy is Olympic-level. Democrats scream “Democracy is under attack!” every time a Republican redraws a line, but when they do it, it’s called “fair representation.” Sure. And when my little cousin cheats at Monopoly, he says he’s “redistributing wealth.”

Kathy’s Empty Threats

Here’s the kicker: Hochul’s threat is mostly bluff. New York is already so blue that the only way to make it bluer is to invent fictional voters—maybe recruit a few Broadway mascots and pigeons to fill out ballots.

The truth is, Democrats are panicking because their gerrymander well is running dry. They already squeezed every last drop out of states like New York, Illinois, and Maryland. Meanwhile, Republicans have natural advantages in Texas and Florida because people actually want to live there.

Kathy Hochul’s “If Texas does it, we will too!” is the political equivalent of a toddler yelling, “If you eat ice cream for dinner, I will too!” Newsflash, Kathy: you already ate the whole pint.

Endnotes

1. New York’s 2022 Gerrymander Tossed:
   In 2022, New York’s highest court (the Court of Appeals) struck down the Democrat‑drawn congressional map, calling it “a partisan gerrymander in violation of the state constitution.”
   Source: New York Court of Appeals, Harkenrider v. Hochul (2022)
2. Staten Island & Brooklyn District Example:
   New York’s 11th Congressional District combines Staten Island with parts of southern Brooklyn, often cited as an example of unusual district design aimed at partisan advantage.
   Source: New York State Board of Elections, 2022 Congressional Maps
3. Democratic Gerrymanders in Other States:
   • Maryland: The state’s 2011 and 2021 maps were widely criticized for dismantling Republican representation, turning 4 GOP seats into 1.
     Source: Brennan Center for Justice, “Extreme Gerrymandering in Maryland” (2022)
   • Illinois: Democrats drew the 2021 map to eliminate two Republican districts, creating a 14‑3 split favoring Democrats.
     Source: Cook Political Report, “Illinois Redistricting Favors Democrats” (Nov. 2021)
   • California: While the state uses a commission, Democratic areas dominate, and maps often dilute remaining GOP areas.
     Source: Los Angeles Times, “California Redistricting and Party Advantage” (Dec. 2021)
4. Democrats’ Double Standard on Gerrymandering:
   National Democrats frequently criticize Republican gerrymandering while engaging in aggressive line‑drawing in blue states.
   Source: FiveThirtyEight, “Both Parties Gerrymander—They Just Have Different Turf” (Jan. 2022)
5. Population and Migration Trends:
   Texas and Florida continue to gain congressional seats due to population growth, while New York has lost seats. This makes Republican‑led states naturally more influential in redistricting battles.
   Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census Apportionment Results

Jacob Silver is a Contributor for Direct Line News and can be contacted at Jacob.Silver@mcgopclub.com.

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Jacob Silver

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