"It's existential now": House Democrats prepare to go scorched earth on redistricting

Democrats in Congress are warming to a strategy of maximum retaliation in response to Republicans' efforts to draw more favorable congressional maps ahead of the 2026 elections.Why it matters: This is a rare moment in which House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and his members are perfectly aligned with the demands of their grassroots base to fight fire with fire.Democrats have been bombarded for months by angry liberal voters demanding they tear up the old political rulebook, cast aside norms and civility, and emulate President Trump's brute force tactics. Now, as they stare down what some see as a struggle for their party's survival, congressional Democrats are just as angry as their voters. "Hakeem is clearly upset and angry and frustrated by this," said Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), Jeffries' ranking member on the House Administration Committee. "I think we all are. ... It's existential now."State of play: At Trump's urging, Texas Republicans are trying to redraw their state's congressional maps to turn as many as five Democratic-held districts into seats the GOP would be likely to win.In response, Democratic governors in California, New York and elsewhere have threatened to undertake similar gerrymandering efforts to nullify Republicans' changes in Texas.Republicans are looking at opportunities to gerrymander Democratic districts in Ohio, Indiana, Missouri and Florida — all with an eye to mitigating potential losses in 2026.What we're hearing: Promises to gerrymander Democratic-led states may have begun as threats of mutually assured destruction aimed at getting Texas to back down, but now they have hardened into cold political reality."Democratic Governors and state legislators can either fight back, or they can let Donald Trump and Republicans steal the midterm elections," House Democratic caucus vice chair Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) said on X.That's in line with the case Democratic leadership has made privately, according to multiple sources. "Every Democratic [governor] with these levers should get a plan together," one senior House Democrat told Axios.Though Jeffries was just in Texas huddling with Democratic legislators, he is "talking to other states," said a second senior House Democrat.Zoom in: Unlike blue-state Republicans, even the Democrats with the most to lose say the party should put aside its commitment to fairer redistricting and get down in the mud with Republicans.Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) said he "100%" agrees with Lieu. Asked about the risk to his own seat, he told Axios, "That train has left the station."Another Texas Democrat told Axios: "I think we should fight back.""This is a game of chess," said a Florida Democrat whose seat is also at risk. "Every move has another move until checkmate."What they're saying: "One cannot unilaterally disarm," Jeffries said in an ABC News interview on Thursday."The Republicans are counting on that as part of their scheme to try to steal the midterm elections and gerrymander these congressional maps with impunity."Jeffries "is leading the fight ... he is hands-on leading this one," the second senior House Democrat told Axios.Zoom out: In addition to California and New York, lawmakers pointed to Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington as potential targets.The Texas Democrat who spoke anonymously told Axios that, initially, the goal of threats to gerrymander in blue states was "to get Texas to back away," but things are now "moving ahead.""Leadership is on board," the lawmaker added. "Otherwise, we're fighting with our hands tied behind our backs.""I think most Democratic candidates and elected officials agree with the base on this," said Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.). "I don't anticipate a ton of daylight."Yes, but: "Many states cannot" gerrymander, warned the second House Democrat, "Democratic governor or not."Several Democratic governors are constrained by legislatures at least partially controlled by Republicans, and substantial procedural hurdles exist in states like California and New York.The bottom line: "I think there's broad agreement by Democrats that ... we simply can't stand by and let the Republican Party completely ruin the map," said Morelle."The base and those of us in elected office feel equally outraged by what is happening."

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