Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is the latest Democrat to performatively threaten retaliatory redistricting, despite her state’s congressional delegation consisting of zero Republicans to remove.
Healey joined leftwing Democrat Govs. Gavin Newsom (CA), JB Pritzker (IL), Kathy Hochul (NY), and others in protesting Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) call for a special legislative session in June, to consider issues including a rare mid-decade redistricting. Abbott, with President Donald Trump’s encouragement, insists that deep-red Texas’s congressional maps allow Democrats outsized representation.
Asked if she would consider redistricting in Massachusetts, Healey lamented the “sad state of affairs,” claiming Democrat-run states like Massachusetts must retaliate with their own redistricting to give Democrats more House representation because “Donald Trump, Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton have left us no choice.”
“I can tell you that governors I know – maybe with the exception of this person in Texas, evidently – we want our constituents represented,” Healey added. “We want the voices heard, whether you vote for me or not. I want your votes to count.” She accused Texas Republicans of “proposing to completely rewrite a map out of nowhere to take away the votes and the voices of Texans.”
Healey did not elaborate on the apparent contradiction between her claims that Democrat governors want their constituents representation with her support of mid0decade redistricting – which she implies takes away the voice and votes of constituents.
A look at the two state’s congressional representation cast further doubt on Healey’s reasoning and projected altruism.
Texas currently sends 25 Republicans and twelve Democrats to the House of Representatives, with a thirteenth district previously represented by a Democrat vacant after a death. Massachusetts has nine Democrat House members and no Republicans.
The latest projected map in Texas would likely swing its congressional representation by five towards Republicans, giving the GOP a 30 to eight advantage in the state that still pales in comparison to the one-sidedness of Massachusetts’ Democrat sweep.
Despite the tough talk, Healey says “We’re going to follow the rules.” Where her interpretation of the rules ultimately lands may be anyone’s guess.
Bradley Jaye is Deputy Political Editor for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter and Instagram @BradleyAJaye.
