Chad Peace
Gerrymandering wasn’t invented by Trump. It predates most states in the union. It’s named after Elbridge Gerry, who sliced up Massachusetts in 1812 to help his party, leaving behind a district so distorted it looked like a salamander.
The press called it a “Gerry-mander.” The name stuck. So did the tactic.
For 200 years, both political parties have embraced the same strategy: carve out districts, protect your own, and punish your enemies. Republicans, Democrats… it doesn’t matter.
Both parties take their turn whenever they have the power.
What makes Trump different isn’t what he’s doing. It’s that he’s doing it so loudly and unabashedly for partisan purposes.
A System Both Parties Built
In his book Ratf**ked, David Daley documents how redistricting has become the quiet engine of power in American politics. The GOP’s REDMAP strategy in 2010 targeted obscure statehouse races to win control of redistricting across the country.
It worked. But it wasn’t new.
Democrats have done the same when they could. They just do it more quietly while heralding themselves as the great protectors of voting rights.
In blue states like Illinois, Maryland, and New York, Democrats gerrymander maps in their favor. In California, despite voters approving an independent redistricting commission, the Democratic governor is looking for ways around it.
In New York, the court had to strike down blatantly gerrymandered districts in 2022 even after they implemented an “independent” redistricting commission. Even so, the Democratic governor of New York vows to keep playing the game today.
The message from Democrats across the country now is: “Republicans are disrespecting voters, so we’ll disrespect them even more!”
Trump Isn’t Hiding It. And That Might Be the Point.
Trump has never been one for subtlety. He’s not hiding behind commissions or procedural language. He’s calling for redistricting that benefits his allies, and he’s doing it on camera.
That throws a lot of people into a fit. But let’s be honest: it also shines a light on the game both parties have been quietly rigging against everyday voters.
Trump is forcing Democrats to play defense, and in doing so, he’s exposing the bipartisan nature of the rigged system. While one side talks about fairness, the other side draws the lines. Then they switch roles. The only losers? Voters who don’t play for either team.
Independent voters are always on the losing end because their vote only “matters” when elections are competitive.
So, Give Trump Some Credit
Trump doesn’t claim that he’s reforming the election system. But he is revealing it. And that matters.
For years, voters have been gaslit into thinking the system is fair because it looks official. It has commissions, procedures, and court filings. But Trump is showing us what the process really is: a partisan chessboard, with our votes as pawns.
The real question isn’t whether Trump will redraw maps in Texas. It’s whether voters in California, New York, and beyond are ready to stop pretending the Democratic Party provides them a “democratic” system in their state.
Fact is, the only thing worse than a rigged game is one where the players won’t even admit they’re cheating.
So, give Trump some credit. He is not hiding the game. He is playing it in full view. The real question is whether voters, especially those who do not belong to either party, are ready to use their voices to put a stop to it