Barack Obama joined a Zoom call with Texas House Democrats on Thursday, warning that Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas amount to a “systematic assault on democracy.” The former president’s remarks came as the GOP seeks to redraw congressional maps in a way that could secure as many as five additional Republican U.S. House seats.
In a 30-minute conversation, Obama praised the Texas Democrats for their stand against mid-decade gerrymandering, calling it “highly irregular” and urging broader efforts to ensure fair representation. “Because of your actions, because of your courage, what you’ve seen is California responding, other states looking at what they can do to offset this,” he said.
Calling for Fair Competition
Obama expressed support for an independent or neutral approach to redistricting, saying it would allow Democrats and Republicans to “compete fairly.” He argued that Republicans have increasingly turned to manipulating district lines to maintain power, often by splitting up Democratic voting blocs or concentrating them into a single district to dilute their influence.
“That’s not fair. That’s not how democracy is supposed to work,” Obama said. Former Attorney General Eric Holder, chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, also joined the call.
While not naming President Donald Trump directly, Obama voiced concern over several trends, including voter suppression, challenges to election results, the militarization of cities, and politicization of justice institutions. “Those are trend lines that remind us this precious democracy that we’ve got is not a given,” he said. “It requires us to fight for it. It requires us to stand up for it.”
Obama stressed that fair voting rights and fair maps benefit everyone, not just one political party. “That’s what we should be aspiring to over the long term,” he said.
Political Context and Next Steps
The remarks come as Texas Democrats prepare to end their nearly two-week standoff, which has delayed the passage of Trump-backed redistricting maps. California Governor Gavin Newsom and state Democrats are also advancing new maps ahead of next year’s elections, with plans for a November voter referendum.
Obama is expected to continue speaking on redistricting when he headlines a fundraiser for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee in Martha’s Vineyard next week.
What The Author Thinks
If Texas Republicans succeed in locking in favorable maps now, the effects could last for a decade, outlasting any single administration. The political fight over district lines isn’t just about this election cycle — it’s about shaping who has a voice in the democratic process for years to come. If one party controls the map-making process without real checks, the concept of fair representation risks becoming a talking point instead of a reality.
Featured image credit: U.S. Embassy Jakarta via Flickr
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