The state of Texas choosing to rearrange its districts has brought forth much controversy. The primary source of the outrage coming from its blue state adversaries. Some governors, such as Gavin Newsom (California), J.B. Pritzker (Illinois), Kathy Hochul (New York) have all called out Governor Greg Abbott for allegedly gerrymandering. is that what he’s doing?

According to the Smithsonian Magazine, The word gerrymander comes from Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry, who signed a redistricting bill that heavily favored his Democratic-Republican party. The district he made for the benefit of his party, many said looked like a salamander, therefore coining the term “gerrymander”, popularized by a political cartoon made by Elkanah Tisdale, published in the Boston Gazette in 1812.

Because of the unfair advantage gerrymandering gives the party in power, many states have anti-gerrymandering laws to protect state representation inscribed in their constitution. Texas however, is not one of them. It is entirely legal for them to redraw districts whenever they please. This ultimately makes govornor Gavin Newsoms threats of “counter gerrymandering” pointless. In order to do that, he would have to directly violate his states Constitution which states in, Article XXI, Section 1 that,

“In the year following the year in which the national census is taken under the direction of Congress at the beginning of each decade, the Citizens Redistricting Commission … shall adjust the boundary lines of the congressional, State Senatorial, Assembly, and Board of Equalization districts …” 

Ultimately it is unlikely that we will see any significant changes in the federal make up of Congress as a result of this feud. Simply yet another “all bark no bite” scenario.