During an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) accused President Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) of trying to manipulate the upcoming 2026 midterm elections through mid-decade redistricting in Texas.
“What Greg Abbott is doing and what Donald Trump is attempting to do is to cheat mid-decade here,” Pritzker said. “They’re attempting to change the map. They know that they’re going to lose in 2026, the Congress, and so they’re trying to steal seats. That is what these Texas Democrats are trying to stand up against.”
Pritzker argued that the new district maps drawn by Texas Republicans violate both the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution. He praised the Texas House Democrats who fled the state to block a quorum, preventing the GOP from advancing the redistricting plan.
The Illinois governor further claimed Trump’s push for redistricting was motivated by personal political goals. “What he’s doing is at the behest of the President of the United States, who is clearly attempting to, and says that he deserves to have five more seats,” Pritzker said. “He’s wrong, and he’s attempting to change the game because he passed this big, ugly bill. It’s hyper unpopular in Texas, among people in Texas and across the country.”
Pritzker accused Trump of turning to political allies like Abbott in a bid to save Republican control of Congress. “He knows he’s going to lose the Congress in 2026. That’s why he’s going to his allies and hoping they can save him. And we’ve all got to stand up against this,” he said.
In a pointed closing remark, Pritzker added, “Donald Trump is a cheater. He cheats on his wives. He cheats at golf. And now he’s trying to cheat the American people out of their votes.”
