{"id":1055500,"date":"2025-08-06T18:52:31","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T22:52:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/democrats.org\/?p=1055500"},"modified":"2025-08-06T18:52:32","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T22:52:32","slug":"icymi-dnc-chair-ken-martin-rallies-with-tx-and-il-dems-in-chicago-to-take-on-trump-and-republicans-corrupt-scheme-to-rig-the-congressional-maps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/icymi-dnc-chair-ken-martin-rallies-with-tx-and-il-dems-in-chicago-to-take-on-trump-and-republicans-corrupt-scheme-to-rig-the-congressional-maps\/","title":{"rendered":"ICYMI: DNC Chair Ken Martin Rallies With TX and IL Dems in Chicago To Take on Trump and Republicans\u2019 Corrupt Scheme To Rig the Congressional Maps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yesterday, on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, DNC Chair Ken Martin stood side by side<\/a> with Texas Democrats and Illinois Democrats, including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, to take on Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott\u2019s corrupt plan to discriminate against Texas voters and rig congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms while exploiting the pain of Texas flood victims. As Texas Republicans ignore the needs of their own constituents to bend the knee to Donald Trump and attempt to rig their congressional maps to cling to their razor-thin majority, Democrats are standing up for Texans and for democracy in America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take a look at some of the coverage below: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Broadcast: <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On MSNBC<\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>\u201cDemocratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin joined some of the Texas Democrats in Illinois this morning to convey support from the National Party. \u2018I am here because the DNC is standing shoulder to shoulder with them every single step of the way. And let me tell you something. We are supporting them, not because it’s a political fight, although it is, not because it’s a necessary fight, although it is. We are supporting them because this is a moral fight, a fight worth fighting with every tool at our disposal. Democrats are going to fight this tooth and nail until the will of the voters is respected. This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to the knife fight. This is a new Democratic Party. We’re bringing a knife to a knife fight, and we are going to fight fire with fire.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On MSNBC<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> \u201cThis is the third event that Texas Democrats have had in the Chicago area since they landed here Sunday night. And the message that you continue to hear is that, one, they are ready for this fight, but two, that they need others to help them in this fight. And they’re getting that help when you look at Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, providing logistical support for their efforts, even the fact that you have DNC chair Ken Martin here supporting them and speaking with them. \u2026 \u2018We can’t be the only ones expected to play by the rules anymore. They are trampling our Constitution. They are actually going after voting rights in this country, and what this requires right now is us. The rules have already been broken. Now it’s gloves off. They decided to break the rules, but we’re going to respond in kind.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On MSNBC<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> \u201c\u2018The Trump-Abbott gerrymander is a test case for the rest of the country. What Republicans are trying to do in Texas is a model for other red states to lie, cheat and steal their way to victory. Democrats are going to fight this tooth and nail. This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to the knife fight. This is a new Democratic Party. We’re bringing a knife to a knife fight, and we are going to fight fire with fire.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On CNN<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> \u201cHere’s what Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin had to say about it: \u2018Donald Trump, Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton, they said they wanted a showdown. And guess what? That’s exactly what they’re getting: a showdown. This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, right? Which would bring a pencil to a knife fight. We’re bringing a knife to a knife fight. We’re going to fight fire with fire, and we’re going to do everything we can right now to stand up against this unconstitutional power grab by the Republicans.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On NewsNation<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> \u201cMeanwhile, DNC Chair Ken Martin joining Texas Democrats in Chicago, appearing alongside Governor JB Pritzker. Martin called the proposed Texas map a craven power grab, and insisted Democrats are not backing down. \u2018They’re trying to disenfranchise Texas voters by packing and cracking them into districts to dilute their voting power, a clear and blatant violation of the Voting Rights Act. This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to the knife fight. This is a new Democratic Party. We’re bringing a knife to a knife fight, and we are going to fight fire with fire.\u2019\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On Fox News<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> \u201cGovernor Greg Abbott has ordered state troopers to arrest and return Democrat lawmakers who have fled to stop the vote from happening. Here is what DNC chair Ken Martin had to say about that. \u2018What Republicans are trying to do in Texas is a model for other red states to lie, cheat and steal their way to victory. Now is not the time for one party to play by the rules while the other party has completely ignored them. They decided to cheat, and we\u2019re gonna respond in kind.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On ABC 7 Chicago<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> \u201cThe DNC Chairman, Ken Martin, traveling to Illinois today to show his support for the movement. \u2018What Republicans are trying to do in Texas is a model for other red states to lie, cheat and steal their way to victory. They don’t give a damn about the will of voters or their needs. In fact, they’d rather bend the knee to Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. than advocate for Texas. It’s insulting, it’s shameful, and it’s wrong.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On CBS News Chicago<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> \u201cThe Chairman of the DNC, Ken Martin, will join Governor JB Pritzker here in Aurora to kind of stand behind these Texas lawmakers who have fled their state to stop Republicans from redrawing district lines in their favor. These top Dems noting this is one day before the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Print: <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Politico<\/strong><\/a>: Texas AG Paxton will try to expel Texas Democrats if they don\u2019t return by Friday<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Andrew Howard and Aaron Pellish, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Democrats are going to fight this tooth and nail until the will of the voters is respected,\u2019 Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin said during a press conference Tuesday. \u2018This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to the knife fight. This is a new Democratic Party. We\u2019re bringing a knife to a knife fight.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox 7 Austin<\/strong><\/a>: ‘Time for y’all to love America again’: Texas Dems in Illinois call on Republicans to ‘be brave’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Steven Ardary, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn Tuesday, Texas Democrats held a news conference with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin to urge Texas Republicans to reconsider a midterm redistricting plan spurred by Trump to add five new Republican seats to the U.S. House of Representatives. \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMartin said Trump and Republicans were using Texas as a \u2018test case\u2019 for redistricting across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018What Republicans are trying to do in Texas is a model for other red states to lie, cheat, and steal their way to victory,\u2019 Martin said. \u2018They don’t give a damn about the will of voters or their needs. In fact, they’d rather bend the knee to Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. Then advocate for Texas.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOTUS<\/strong><\/a>: Democrats Go All In on Partisan Redistricting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Emily Kennard, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDemocratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin urged members of his party to forget their usual rulebook and go all in on partisan redistricting Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMartin made his comments in Illinois, where most of the fleeing Texas Democrats headed to prevent their state Legislature from reaching the quorum needed to consider Republicans\u2019 proposed map that could earn them five additional seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe prominent Democrat championing this strategy demonstrates that his party is increasingly ditching play-by-the-old-rules tactics that have limited its ability to push back on Republicans\u2019 pursuit of power at every level of government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018This is not the Democratic party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to the knife fight. This is a new Democratic Party,\u2019 Martin said. \u2018We\u2019re bringing a knife to a knife fight, and we are gonna fight fire with fire.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMartin acknowledged it\u2019s an about-face from Democrats\u2019 usual high road of speaking out against and trying to legislate around the partisan manipulation of congressional districts. But he said that as President Donald Trump and Republicans go to greater lengths to try to seize power, Democrats can\u2019t just \u2018roll over.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018It didn\u2019t have to be this way,\u2019 Martin said, arguing that Texas Republicans\u2019 moves threaten the principle of democratic representation so much that a nationwide redistricting war is \u2018a fight worth fighting with every tool at our disposal.\u2019 \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Now is not the time for one party to play by the rules while one party has completely ignored them. They\u2019ve decided to cheat, and we\u2019re gonna respond in kind,\u2019 Martin said. \u2018None of us wanted to be here.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Politico<\/strong><\/a>: Playbook PM: The redistricting race rolls on<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Bethany Irvine, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn Illinois: Texas House Democrats who fled to Chicago joined Gov. JB Pritzker and other state lawmakers at a joint news conference today to lambast the GOP-led effort as a violation of basic democratic principles. Flanked by Washington lawmakers and DNC Chair Ken Martin, Texas House Rep. John Bucy told reporters: \u2018I didn\u2019t run for office to walk out of the Capitol, but I also didn\u2019t run for office to stand by while democracy is stolen in broad daylight \u2026 Texas Democrats broke quorum because sometimes, the only way to uphold your oath is to refuse to play along with a rigged game.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington Post<\/strong><\/a>: Texas GOP governor sues to remove Democratic leader amid election map fight<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Patrick Marley, Hannah Knowles, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Molly Hennessy-Fiske, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt a news conference in suburban Chicago held before Abbott filed his lawsuit, Democrats said they were prepared to fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to a knife fight. This is a new Democratic Party,\u2019 said Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, echoing other party leaders who are eager to show a frustrated liberal base that they are taking action. \u2018We\u2019re bringing a knife to a knife fight, and we are going to fight fire with fire.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Associated Press<\/strong><\/a>: Trump\u2019s redistricting fight could broaden and last a while with Texas and California as epicenters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Bill Barrow, Nadia Lathan, and Michael R. Blood, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNational Democratic Chairman Ken Martin said Trump and compliant Republicans are subverting democracy out of fear given the president\u2019s lagging approval ratings and voter angst over the massive tax and policy bill he signed last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Republicans are running scared that voting for this monstrosity will make them lose their majority, and it certainly will,\u2019 Martin said in Illinois, where multiple Texas Democrats have settled temporarily to deny their Republican colleagues a quorum in Austin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

KRLD<\/strong><\/a>: DNC Chair stands with Texas House Democrats breaking quorum over redistricting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Eric Bushman, 8\/6\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Democratic National Committee is standing shoulder to shoulder with House Democrats who face fines and arrests if and when they return to Texas. DNC Chair Ken Martin calls it a moral fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018A fight worth fighting with every tool at our disposal,\u2019 Martin said. \u2018A fight for the fundamental value that voters should get to choose their leaders and not the other way around.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chicago Sun-Times<\/strong><\/a>: Pritzker says Illinois remap is possible as DNC chair vows to fight Texas GOP efforts ‘tooth and nail’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Tina Sfondeles, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday opened the door further to a potential mid-decade congressional remap in Illinois, as Texas Democrats continued their Midwestern refuge and Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin vowed to fight GOP efforts \u2018tooth and nail.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to the knife fight. This is a new Democratic Party,\u2019 Martin said at an Aurora news conference alongside Pritzker and Texas Democrats. \u2018We\u2019re bringing a knife to a knife fight, and we\u2019re going to fight, fight and fight.\u2019 \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMartin told reporters the DNC is prepared to follow the lead of governors who opt for a remap to counter GOP efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Every governor and other electors are going to have to make their own decisions about what they do. All of them feel, as I do, that this is a serious matter that requires us to put every option on the table,\u2019 Martin said. \u2018It\u2019s up to the governors, the Democratic legislators and the people of those states to make the decisions on how best to move forward on this. And of course, we support their efforts. … We\u2019re going to follow their lead. If they choose to do something, of course we\u2019re going to support their efforts.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CNN<\/strong><\/a>: Texas Rep. Wu defends leaving state to forestall redistricting vote after Abbott seeks his removal from office<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Steve Contorno and Tori B. Powell, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTexas Rep. Gene Wu accused Gov. Greg Abbott of using \u2018the law as a weapon to silence his people,\u2019 and defended his decision to flee the state to forestall a vote on new congressional maps. \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDemocratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin also defended Wu, saying in a statement that he and his fellow Democrats \u2018are performing their duties as elected officials by standing up for the rights of Texans to have free and fair elections.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMartin called Abbott\u2019s plea for Wu\u2019s removal \u2018morally repugnant\u2019 and \u2018a weak attempt at Trump-style intimidation.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Axios Chicago<\/strong><\/a>: Pritzker says redistricting Illinois could happen if Texas continues push<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Justin Kaufmann and Zachary Basu, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTuesday’s press conference featured Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairman Ken Martin, Illinois and Texas state lawmakers and some of Texas’ congressional delegation, including U.S. Rep. Al Green. \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Democrats are fighting back,\u2019 Martin said. \u2018The Constitution is under assault. Now is not the time for one party to play by the rules while the other party has completely ignored it. They’ve decided to cheat, and we’re going to respond in kind.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

USA Today<\/strong><\/a>: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker rallies with Texas Democrats, calls Trump a \u2018cheater\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Phillip M. Bailey, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Donald Trump is a cheater… and if they’re going to cheat, then all of us have to take a hard look at what the effect of that cheating is on democracy, and that means we’ve all got to stand up and do the right thing,\u2019 Pritzker said at an Aug. 5 press conference, flanked by Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin along with Texas Democrats and others. \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAsked if Texas is providing Democratic-controlled state leaders with a roadmap on how to draw their own maps, Martin told reporters at the press conference that the party will fight back in the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Our constitution is under assault. Voting rights are being completely violated,\u2019 he said. \u2018Now is not the time for one party to play by the rules while the other party has completely ignored it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NBC News<\/strong><\/a>: Texas Republicans blocked again from moving forward with their redistricting plan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[NBC News, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDemocratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, who attended the same news conference, told NBC News that his party should use \u2018all tools at their disposal,\u2019 noting the possibility that other GOP-controlled states like Ohio and Missouri could try to change their maps, too. \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDemocratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said today that his party is \u2018not rolling over\u2019 to Trump as he warned that Texas Republican attempts to go through with emergency redistricting would only spur other states to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMartin joined Gov. JB Pritzker and a throng of Texas House Democrats who have been taking refuge in the blue Midwestern state since Sunday to break a legislative quorum back home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe pledged to help Democrats fight attempts by Texas Republicans to redraw the state political map to yield its party potentially up to five more congressional seats, a request that publicly came from the president.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018This is not the Democratic Party of your grandparents, who would bring a pencil to a knife fight,\u2019 Martin said. \u2018This is the new Democratic Party that will bring in a knife to a knife fight.\u2019\u201d \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington Examiner<\/strong><\/a>: Texas Democrats plan to stay in Illinois to thwart GOP redistricting effort<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Lauren Green, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe press conference, where the Democrats were joined by Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin and Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL), comes on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act to fight against the attempted redistricting taking place during a Texas special session. The special session is also being used to address the fatal floods in the state last month.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hill<\/strong><\/a>: Illinois lieutenant governor responds to Texas redistricting: \u2018Nothing will be off the table\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Caroline Vakil, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018We have a message for President Trump and Gov. Abbott: We are watching you,\u2019 Stratton told reporters during a press conference, which included Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) and Texas Democrats. \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Republicans are running scared that voting for this monstrosity will make them lose their majority, and they certainly will, which is why they\u2019re trying to disenfranchise Texas voters by packing and cracking them into districts to dilute their voting power, a clear and blatant violation of the Voting Rights Act,\u2019 Martin said, referring to Trump\u2019s sweeping tax and spending bill.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click 2 Houston<\/strong><\/a>: DNC Chair stands in solidarity with Texas lawmakers in Illinois blocking redistricting vote<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Ahmed Huble, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a political chess match wages on against Texas lawmakers and an attempt to block a vote on a \u2018rigged\u2019 congressional redistricting map, officials with the Democratic National Committee are joining the effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDNC Chair Ken Martin was in Illinois along with other representatives from Texas to demonstrate solidarity among fellow democrats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018They\u2019re standing up for the Constitution, they\u2019re standing for democracy, they\u2019re for the voices of their constituents,\u2019 he continued. \u2018There is nothing more American than calling out corruption.\u2019 \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018It\u2019s clear that Republicans would rather play politics with our elections than support flood victims,\u2019 Martin added. \u2018They\u2019d rather cheat than try to campaign on their failing record, a failing record which, by the way, includes voting for Trump\u2019s budget bill, which rips away health care for up to 1.7 million Texans. Republicans are running scared that voting for this monstrosity will make them lose the majority, and it certainly will.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Politico<\/strong><\/a>: Texas AG Paxton will try to expel Texas Democrats if they don\u2019t return by Friday <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Andrew Howard and Aaron Pelish, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Democrats are going to fight this tooth and nail until the will of the voters is respected,\u2019 Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin said during a press conference Tuesday. \u2018This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to the knife fight. This is a new Democratic Party. We\u2019re bringing a knife to a knife fight.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deseret News<\/strong><\/a>: Democratic colleagues across the country support lawmakers who fled Texas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Caitlin Keith 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring the news conference in Chicago, the Republican plan to redraw congressional lines was also criticized by Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018They\u2019ve decided to cheat, and we\u2019re going to respond in kind,\u2019 Martin said, per CNN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to the knife fight,\u2019 Martin added. \u2018This is a new Democratic Party; we are bringing a knife to a knife fight, and we are going to fight fire with fire.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Springfield State Journal-Register<\/strong><\/a>: Pritzker calls Trump a ‘cheater’ as he rallies with Texas Democrats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Tom Ackerman, 8\/5\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTexas Democrats again made public comments in Illinois on Aug. 5, standing alongside Illinois’ governor and the Democratic National Committee’s chair, who said that amid redistricting efforts, “(Republicans) have decided to cheat, and we’re going to respond in kind.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDNC Chair Ken Martin made the comment during a question and answer session following the press conference. More than 50 democrats, according to some reports, left Texas on Aug. 3 to deprive Republicans of a necessary 100-member quorum to vote on redrawn maps for congressional maps in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Now is not the time for one party to play by the rules while the other party has completely ignored them,\u2019 Martin said.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chicago Tribune<\/strong><\/a>: \u2018They decided to cheat.\u2019 National Democrats, Gov. JB Pritzker vow to do whatever it takes to win redistricting battle.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Olivia Olander and Rick Pearson, 8\/6\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs Texas House Democrats hunker down in Illinois and other blue states to try to stop a Republican-led redistricting plan in their state, national Democrats and one of their hosts, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, ratcheted up their rhetoric Tuesday, saying anything goes in the face of such Republican aggression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018We\u2019re fighting for democracy. There are no rules anymore, apparently,\u2019 Pritzker said as he stood alongside Texas Democratic lawmakers and the head of the Democratic National Committee. \u2018And so we\u2019re going to have to play by a set of rules that, well, that are being set out in front of us, which frankly none of us believes is the right way to operate.\u2019 \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Now is not the time for one party to play by the rules,\u2019 Martin said as he was joined by Pritzker and the Texas lawmakers in suburban Aurora. \u2018They decided to cheat, and we\u2019re going to respond in kind.\u2019 \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMartin called Abbott\u2019s lawsuit \u2018baseless\u2019 and \u2018morally repugnant.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018It\u2019s a weak attempt at Trump-style intimidation. Rep. Gene Wu and the Texas Democrats are performing their duties as elected officials by standing up for the rights of Texans to have free and fair elections,\u2019 Martin said in a statement. \u2018If Trump and Abbott can successfully remove lawmakers representing the will of their constituents, we do not have a democracy anymore.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington Post<\/strong><\/a>: Texas election map fight swells into national political warfare<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Hannah Knowles, 8\/6\/25]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Democratic posture was clear at a Tuesday news conference in Illinois where a host of party leaders rallied to Texas Democrats\u2019 side. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a potential 2028 presidential candidate who welcomed the Texas legislators to his state, called the fleeing lawmakers \u2018heroes.\u2019 Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton \u2014 who is running for U.S. Senate in a competitive primary \u2014 spoke at the event, too, saying that \u2018nothing will be off the table\u2019 to respond to Republicans\u2019 moves in Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to a knife fight,\u2019 declared Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin. \u2018This is a new Democratic Party. We\u2019re bringing a knife to a knife fight.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday, on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, DNC Chair Ken Martin stood side by side with Texas Democrats and Illinois Democrats, including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, to take on Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott\u2019s corrupt plan to discriminate against Texas voters and rig congressional maps ahead of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":293,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1055500","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nICYMI: DNC Chair Ken Martin Rallies With TX and IL Dems in Chicago To Take on Trump and Republicans\u2019 Corrupt Scheme To Rig the Congressional Maps - Democrats<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/icymi-dnc-chair-ken-martin-rallies-with-tx-and-il-dems-in-chicago-to-take-on-trump-and-republicans-corrupt-scheme-to-rig-the-congressional-maps\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Democrats\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-06T22:52:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-06T22:52:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXf2MLfIZO1gpX-yIlf2t-91HVnxAR3kcZBznfKLThPi9vJ4OAVOw0YsxtQLBmdGc6TgAv8MrYExejdWvVOYSrnvOUhGnrJoyUkGI_D5AGAMyz-dSok-UkrIbpC6NrHX6Xi1yVZE?key=nJYrR0jMR2ZGBhf6wXcWEQ\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Shelby Reese\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Shelby Reese\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"18 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/icymi-dnc-chair-ken-martin-rallies-with-tx-and-il-dems-in-chicago-to-take-on-trump-and-republicans-corrupt-scheme-to-rig-the-congressional-maps\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/icymi-dnc-chair-ken-martin-rallies-with-tx-and-il-dems-in-chicago-to-take-on-trump-and-republicans-corrupt-scheme-to-rig-the-congressional-maps\/\",\"name\":\"ICYMI: DNC Chair Ken Martin Rallies With TX and IL Dems in Chicago To Take on Trump and Republicans\u2019 Corrupt Scheme To Rig the Congressional Maps - 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