Hakeem Jeffries Pressures Illinois Democrats to Redraw Congressional Map Amid Party Pushback [WATCH]

As the federal budget standoff continues in Washington, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is reportedly urging Illinois Democrats to adopt an aggressive redistricting plan aimed at increasing the party’s representation in Congress.

The proposal, however, has met significant resistance within Jeffries’ own ranks, with several Illinois Democrats expressing concern over both the timing and political consequences of such a move.

According to reports from Capitol News Illinois and Punchbowl News, Jeffries has been lobbying Illinois lawmakers to consider a new congressional map that would further tilt the state’s already Democrat-heavy delegation.

The current map, drawn after the 2020 census, favors Democrats by a margin of 14 seats to 3. Jeffries has encouraged Illinois to follow the example of states like California, where Democrats have advanced new maps that maximize partisan advantage in response to Republican redistricting efforts in Texas.

Despite pressure from national leadership, many Illinois Democrats appear uninterested in reopening the redistricting process. “I think there is next to zero appetite to do it,” one Democratic lawmaker told Capitol News Illinois. Another added, “There is no world where I see this happening.”

Concerns have also been raised among Black elected officials, who worry that an aggressive gerrymander could weaken minority representation in Congress by redistributing Black voting populations into other districts.

NEWS: IL Senate Black Caucus has a warning for Hakeem Jeffries + Dems pushing redistricting

It won’t back any map that dilutes the Black vote in any historically Black district

Chair @SenWPrestonIL: We’re going to fight back. We just won’t do so at the expense of our own power

— Ally Mutnick (@allymutnick) October 22, 2025

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State Sen. Willie Preston (D-Chicago), a congressional candidate and chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, said his caucus would oppose any plan that risks undermining Black political power.

“We’re going to fight back. We just won’t do so at the expense of our own power,” Preston told Punchbowl News.

Currently, three of Illinois’ congressional districts are at least 40 percent African American, according to U.S. Census data. The state is represented by four Black members in the U.S. House.

Political analysts note that further reconfiguring these districts could require incorporating rural, majority-white areas that typically vote Republican—reducing the likelihood of maintaining current minority-majority representation.

In addition to internal party objections, logistical challenges complicate Jeffries’ push for a new map. Legislators would have to move swiftly to introduce and pass a redistricting plan or risk delaying the state’s 2026 primary elections.

Illinois lawmakers are expected to reconvene next week for their veto session, and while Jeffries continues to lobby for the effort, much of the decision-making power ultimately rests with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

Pritzker has so far declined to take a clear position on the issue. When asked about the possibility of redrawing congressional boundaries mid-decade, he indicated reluctance but did not rule it out.

“In general, I do not think mid-decade redistricting for political purposes is something that any state should be doing,” Pritzker said. “That’s why I have to say that if we’re forced into it… we can” redraw lines that could potentially allow Democrats to pick up an additional seat.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on gerrymandering: “In general, I do not think mid-decade redistricting for political purposes is something that any state should be doing. That’s why I have to say that if we’re forced into it… we can.”pic.twitter.com/vWy1omeB2K

— Thomas Sowell Quotes (@ThomasSowell) October 15, 2025

Political observers note that Illinois Democrats already control a sizable advantage in the state’s delegation and that pursuing another round of redistricting could risk internal divisions within the party, particularly among members of the Black caucus.

The discussion comes as Democrats face mounting pressure nationally to maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives ahead of the 2026 midterms, where even small shifts in district boundaries could determine majority control.

For now, Illinois lawmakers have given no indication that they intend to revisit the state’s congressional map. The upcoming veto session is expected to focus on pending legislation and budget adjustments rather than new redistricting measures, leaving Jeffries’ proposal in doubt.