Indiana State Rep.: If Republicans Succeed in Texas, ‘We Will Not Have a Democracy’

BOLDUAN: “And when you talk — talk about pick up a seat here and pick up a seat there, it really is just that in Indiana. I mean, Indiana — Republicans already control seven of Indiana’s nine congressional seats. So, it really is one seat here or one seat there, or it would be. In response we know — and, look, as any student of politics or history knows that this has been done, gerrymandering, and redrawing districts to benefit your party has been done by both parties over the course of many years. But in response to Texas, we now are learning much more about what could be happening in California because there are sources telling CNN that the governor there is in serious talks now to redraw the state’s map, the congressional maps, to potentially help turn five Republican seats over to Democrats. Do you support Democrats making these same moves that you say Republicans are doing and de-legitimizing democracy?”
PIERCE: “I have always been a supporter of nonpartisan redistricting. I think we need a commission. I’ve offered many pieces of legislation to do that. But we are in a fight for democracy, a fight for our democratic lives. And I think that if the Republicans can have their will in these deep red states, the Democratic states have to step up. We have to have a national fight about this, and we have to preserve democracy. We shouldn’t be rigging the election for one way or the other. We should allow the voters to decide which way they want the country to go and which politicians they want to elect to lead them. And what we’re moving toward, if we don’t have some pushback from the Democratic states, is a de-legitimized Congress doing whatever it wants with no accountability, because it will not have to fear elections, and we will set the precedent. And it could — the shoe could be on the other foot later. You could have every two years, legislatures coming in and adjusting the maps based on last year’s election results and constantly maintaining their power. Power for powers sake. We have to have a democracy that reflects the will of the people, and we’re not going to have it if this Trump scheme goes through.”
BOLDUAN: “But short of getting independent commissions all over the place, are you saying that the ends do justify the means and Democrats should do exactly the same that you’re criticizing?”
PIERCE: “I’m saying the Republicans feel the ends justify the means, and the Democrats cannot just stand by and allow them to steal the next election. We have to have pushback. The Republicans have to learn that they can’t get away with this, because if they do, it’s all downhill from here. And we will not have a democracy.”
BOLDUAN: “State Representative Matt Pierce of Indiana, thanks so much for coming in. I really appreciate it.”