Jeffries launches New York gerrymander push after redistricting clash with DeSantis

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is eyeing New York for potential redistricting gains as Republicans race to redraw congressional maps in several Southern states ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Jeffries unveiled the New York Democracy Project on Monday to explore redrawing the Empire State’s congressional map to benefit Democrats, who hold 19 of the state’s 26 congressional seats. The initiative is part of his efforts to push blue states to consider new partisan gerrymanders after the Supreme Court restricted the use of race in drawing electoral districts last week — a move that could put more than a dozen Democratic-held seats in jeopardy.

Jeffries also mentioned Colorado, Illinois and Maryland as top places where Democrats will seek to gerrymander more seats ahead of 2028 in an interview with Politico. 

"This is just the beginning," Jeffries said in a statement on Monday. "Across the nation, we will sue, we will redraw, and we will win."

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"House Democrats will not allow a MAGA majority to be built on rigged maps and the dilution of Black voting strength," the top Democrat added. "Ultimately, this will end poorly for Republican extremists. It’s the American people who get to decide who wins the majority in Congress, not Donald Trump." 

Though Democrats face several hurdles in drawing a new congressional map in New York this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul said that she would work with the state legislature to redistrict before 2028. 

"New York has always led the fight for voting rights, and we’ll lead again," Hochul said of the possible new gerrymander after the Supreme Court’s ruling last week.

Jeffries said Monday that he directed Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., to meet with the state legislature to discuss redrawing the state’s congressional map. Passing a constitutional amendment as early as 2027 to allow the state legislature to draw a Democratic-friendly gerrymander is an option under consideration, according to his statement.

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New York Republicans sharply criticized the redistricting initiative on Monday.

"Jeffries, Hochul, and other New York Democrats insult the intelligence of voters, who strongly supported redistricting reforms in 2014, including a ban on partisan gerrymandering," New York Republican Party chairman Ed Cox said in a statement. " Democrats tried to torpedo that reform but the people rejected their efforts in 2021. I am confident that they will do so yet again."

Jeffries’ announcement came shortly after Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., signed a new GOP-friendly congressional map that could net Republicans as many as four seats in the Sunshine State.

The top Democrat has sharply criticized DeSantis for calling a special session to redraw Florida’s map, which he argued is "blatantly illegal" in a statement on Monday. Jeffries has also pledged to aggressively target vulnerable GOP lawmakers in Florida as Democrats look to retake control of the House this November.

"Democrats have brutally thwarted the MAGA midterm power grab, and we will continue to push back aggressively," Jeffries said in a statement. "See you in court."

President Donald Trump has urged Republican-led states to swiftly pass new congressional maps before the midterm elections to give the GOP an advantage in districts that could help decide House control. So far, Republicans have passed GOP-friendly maps in Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Missouri, while Democrats have drawn new Democratic-heavy seats in California and Virginia.

A number of Republican states, including Louisiana and Tennessee, are moving forward with redistricting efforts to eliminate Black-majority districts held by Democrats following the Supreme Court’s ruling. In Tennessee, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who is running to be the state’s next governor, has pitched a new map that would allow Republicans to hold every district.