Anti-Gerrymandering Watchdog Announces Its Support For Gerrymandering

Common Cause, a government watchdog group historically opposed to partisan gerrymandering, announced Tuesday that it will not oppose blue states’ push for mid-cycle redistricting while criticizing Republican-led efforts in Texas.

In a Tuesday policy statement, Common Cause, which describes itself as a “nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy,” declined to condemn redistricting efforts in Democrat-run states like California. At the same time, the group accused President Trump and Republicans of “pursuing a calculated, asymmetric strategy” in Texas as part of a “broader march towards authoritarianism.”

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrat governors have threatened to redraw their state’s congressional maps to counter a GOP-led redistricting effort in Texas that could hand Republicans up to five additional seats.

“In this grave moment, we understand why some states, including California, are considering counterbalancing measures in response,” Common Cause said in its policy statement. “We will not endorse partisan gerrymandering even when its motive is to offset more extreme gerrymandering by a different party. But a blanket condemnation in this moment would amount to a call for unilateral political disarmament in the face of authoritarian efforts to undermine fair representation and people-powered democracy.”