Obama Comments On Texas Decision
Oh, this one’s a doozy. Barack Obama, the self-anointed guardian of “our democracy,” is back in the headlines, wagging his finger at Texas Republicans for what he calls a “power grab” on redistricting.
He blasted the Texas GOP’s plan as an effort to “unfairly win five seats,” while Democrats in the state literally fled to block the vote — because nothing says “defending democracy” quite like running away from it.
We can’t lose focus on what matters – right now, Republicans in Texas are trying to gerrymander district lines to unfairly win five seats in next year’s midterm elections. This is a power grab that undermines our democracy. https://t.co/lBGo5aNbyp
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 5, 2025
But here’s the kicker: Obama’s moral high horse is standing on some pretty shaky ground. Remember “Redistricting U”? That was the 2019 project Obama launched with the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) to — and I’m quoting their own IRS form here — “favorably position Democrats for the redistricting process.” This wasn’t about fair maps. It was about drawing maps that help his party lock down power. Period.
Obama himself even said he couldn’t “wait to begin organizing when the redistricting process starts in 2021,” and insisted on building the movement “from the ground up.” Translation: he wanted boots on the ground in states like Illinois — his home turf — to help push Democratic maps through. And boy, did they deliver.
Training is at the heart of organizing. It’s why I’ve always made it a priority – from my 2008 campaign until now. And it’s why I’m proud to announce @allontheline’s in-person training initiative, Redistricting U. Join us: https://t.co/yrWJ50wSdE pic.twitter.com/HiKvGd2XyE
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 26, 2019
Illinois Democrats used their control of the state to propose a map designed to secure 14 of 17 House seats for themselves. One alternative map floated by Democratic operatives? Even more extreme — reducing Republicans to just two seats. All on the Line, the group Obama was boosting, trained activists to push these maps. And the final product? It earned an “F” from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project for its brazen partisan bias.
So when Obama now cries “power grab” over Texas Republicans trying to shore up five seats, forgive us if we don’t take him seriously. He was elbow-deep in the same partisan game when it benefited his team.
If anyone tells you that @EricHolder is “fighting against gerrymandering” and for “fair maps,” just look at the form his organization filed with the IRS. The truth: their mission is to “FAVORABLY POSITION DEMOCRATS FOR THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.” pic.twitter.com/1f6J2SnIlX
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) August 22, 2019