It’s rare in American politics to see both major parties pulling the same sleazy move at the same time. Usually, one side is doing the thing, and the other is righteously screaming about the thing—while secretly wishing they could do the thing.

But late 2025? Oh, it’s a historic moment. California Democrats and Texas Republicans both dove headfirst into the gerrymandering swamp, and suddenly each side is clutching their pearls like they’ve just discovered corruption in politics.

Texas: “Democracy Is Great… Unless We Can Squeeze in Five More Seats”

Down in Texas, Republicans decided the normal once-a-decade redistricting wasn’t enough. Nope, they wanted a mid-decade remix, a little “electoral Botox,” if you will. Governor Abbott and his crew cooked up maps that could give the GOP five extra congressional seats.

Democrats in the legislature responded with a dramatic Broadway exit—literally fleeing the state to avoid giving Republicans a quorum. They ran off to Illinois like it was the new political Cancun. Meanwhile, Texas Republicans screamed about cowardice and threatened arrests. Because nothing says “healthy democracy” like threatening to arrest your coworkers for skipping a vote.

California: “Independent Commissions Are Sacred… Until They Aren’t”

Not to be outdone, California Democrats decided, “Hey, if Texas can rig the system, why can’t we?” Their bright idea: suspend the state’s independent redistricting commission (which they used to love) and hand the map-making power back to the legislature. Why? So they can draw their own bonus seats, of course.

They even wrapped the whole thing in a bow called Proposition 50, which basically says, “We’re not cheating, we’re fighting back.” Adorable.

Everyone Loses Their Minds

The best part? Watching each party lose their collective minds over the other party doing exactly what they’re doing. Republicans: “California Democrats are undermining democracy!” Democrats: “Texas Republicans are undermining democracy!”

Yes, friends, they are both right. Which means everyone’s wrong.

Editorial boards are pulling their hair out. Arnold Schwarzenegger—remember him?—is out here growling that gerrymandering is “a direct affront to democracy.” Libertarians are on the sidelines with popcorn, muttering “we told you so.” And voters? Well, voters just get stuck with Franken-maps that look like Picasso got drunk with a set of crayons.

The Rare Mirror Moment

What makes this moment so deliciously rare is that both sides are pulling the same scam at the same time. Usually, the outrage cycle works in turns. But now? It’s like watching two kids cheat on the same test while tattling on each other to the teacher.

The moral outrage isn’t about principles—it’s about turf. Each party’s position can be summed up like this:

• When we gerrymander: “It’s justice, it’s fairness, it’s protecting democracy.”
• When they gerrymander: “It’s tyranny, it’s cheating, it’s the end of America as we know it.”

Final Thought

So here we are: Texas carving districts like a butcher, California suspending its vaunted independence, and both sides pretending they’re heroes. The truth? Gerrymandering is the bipartisan love language of American politics.

And like any toxic relationship, everyone involved swears this time it’s different. Spoiler alert: it’s not.