Gov. JB Pritzker took his defense of Texas Democratic lawmakers to NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday morning.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Gov. JB Pritzker took his defense of Texas Democratic lawmakers to "Meet the Press" Sunday morning. NBC's Kristen Welker asked Pritzker why he opposes gerrymandering by Texas Republicans when Illinois Democrats passed hyperpartisan maps in 2021.

Pritzker said Texas Democrats are heroes standing up for their own constituents and voters across the country. He argued Texas Republicans are violating the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution.

"What Greg Abbott is doing and what Donald Trump is attempting to do is to cheat mid-decade here," Pritzker said. "They're attempting to change the map. They know that they're going to lose in 2026, the Congress, and so they're trying to steal seats."

The governor's stance on gerrymandering has taken the bandage off an old wound created by the Illinois Democratic redistricting process in 2021. Welker noted that President Donald Trump won 44% of the statewide vote in 2024, but Republicans only hold three of the state's 17 congressional districts.

Nonpartisan groups like Common Cause say the Illinois congressional map represents a "nearly perfect model for everything that can go wrong with redistricting."

"We provided a map, and passed a map, that follows the Voting Rights Act, and the Constitution and the laws of the state of Illinois," Pritzker told Welker. "He's attempting to thwart federal law and take away five seats that are in the hands of Black, Brown, minority Congresspeople and the people that they represent."

With so much national attention on the governor, Welker also asked if Pritzker is ruling out a presidential run in 2028.

"I can't rule anything out, but what I can rule in is that no matter what decisions I make, and I mean in particular about what I do here in the state of Illinois, is about the people of Illinois. Indeed, any future decisions of mine will always be guided by that," Pritzker said.

The Illinois Republican Party shared a clip of the Meet the Press interview on their Facebook page. They argue Pritzker should fix Illinois' "F-rated" maps before handing out democracy lectures.

Gerrymandering will likely be a hot topic during both political days at the Illinois State Fair this week. Governor's Day will take place Wednesday, and Republicans will fill the fairgrounds for GOP Day Thursday. 

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