“Fight! Fight! Fight!” has long been a slogan for Donald Trump. Now, as the Republican president urges states to redraw congressional districts to favor the GOP, Democrats are showing they’re ready to fight back in new ways.
In Texas, Democratic lawmakers delayed Republican plans to expand the GOP majority in the U.S. House by walking out of the state legislature. Their move was designed to slow down Trump’s push to secure more Republican seats before the 2026 midterm elections.
Democratic governors in states like California, Illinois, and New York also promised to redraw districts in their own states to cancel out possible GOP gains. Their efforts are being supported by national fundraising, media campaigns, and public rallies across the country.
“For everyone that’s been asking, ‘Where are the Democrats?’ — well, here they are,” said U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, who could lose her seat under the new Republican maps. “For everyone who’s been asking, ‘Where is the fight?’ — well, here it is.”
Still, there’s no guarantee Democrats can stop Trump’s redistricting effort, just as they have not been able to block his policies in Washington. But it’s a big change for a party often criticized as too cautious.
For now, progressive and moderate Democrats are united in fighting Trump’s agenda. Leaders on the left say this mix of protest and action is more effective than speeches alone.
Maurice Mitchell, leader of the Working Families Party, said Democrats are finally “taking real risks in protecting all of our rights” against “an authoritarian president who only understands the fight.”
Texas Democrats Walk Out
Texas became the first battleground in this redistricting fight. Republicans control the Statehouse, and Gov. Greg Abbott is a strong Trump ally.
But when GOP leaders introduced a new map that would add five more Republican seats in Congress, Democratic lawmakers left the state. By doing so, they blocked Republicans from having enough members present to pass the plan.
The Texas Democrats traveled to states like Illinois, New York, and California, where governors welcomed them. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul all promised to redraw maps in their own states. Pritzker mocked Abbott for following Trump’s orders, Hochul called Texas Republicans “lawbreaking cowboys,” and Newsom’s office sent out bold social media posts aimed directly at Trump.
Many Democrats compared their cause to the Civil Rights Movement. Texas Rep. Ramon Romero Jr. invoked President Lyndon Johnson’s fight for civil rights in the 1960s and even referenced the historic Battle of the Alamo.
“Whatever It Takes”
A recent AP-NORC poll showed that about 15% of Democratic voters described their own party as “weak” or “apathetic,” while 10% called it “ineffective” or “disorganized.”
Beto O’Rourke, a former Texas congressman, urged Democrats to redraw districts in their states before Republicans move ahead. In California, Democrats proposed a plan to gain five new House seats, which would need voter approval this November.
“Maximize Democratic Party advantage,” O’Rourke said at a rally. “You may say to yourself, ‘Well, those aren’t the rules.’ There are no refs in this game. … Whatever it takes.”
Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin added, “This is not the Democratic Party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to a knife fight.”
Activists also noted that speeches and protests alone haven’t stopped Trump’s tax cuts, immigration policies, or judicial nominees. Andrew O’Neill of the progressive group Indivisible said this time Democrats are combining fiery rhetoric with action.
Fighting on All Fronts
Democrats may now be forced to abandon independent commissions that usually draw fairer district lines in states like California. But many say the stakes are too high.
Trump’s allies in Congress have already passed major tax and spending changes, sometimes by just a few votes — a reminder of why redistricting matters.
Rep. Greg Casar of Texas said Democrats must make tough short-term moves now in order to later pass nationwide laws banning gerrymandering and limiting big money in politics.
Meanwhile, Rep. Julie Johnson of Texas said voters are starting to understand what’s at stake. “They say, ‘Well, I don’t know. Politics doesn’t affect me,’” she said. “I say, ‘Honey, it does. If you don’t do politics, politics will do you.’
