Illinois Dems embrace gerrymandering in fight for US House

By SARA BURNETT
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — In the fight to keep control of the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrats need help from the few places where state lawmakers can make 2022 difficult for Republicans. Illinois Democrats delivered Thursday, using their dominance in state government to advance new congressional district maps intended to eliminate two Republican-held districts and send more Democrats to Washington. To do it, Democrats have embraced gerrymandering, the practice of drawing district boundaries for political benefit that party leaders including former President Barack Obama have railed against as “rigging” elections. The new map is a collection of odd shapes that critics say is also a symbol of Democrats’ hypocrisy.