News: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is in Illinois this morning, meeting with state Democratic lawmakers to urge them to consider a mid-decade redistricting.
Jeffries will huddle with the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus and Black members from the state’s congressional delegation, according to sources familiar with his plans. This is a significant step toward winning over the necessary support for a new House map that could net Democrats one seat.
The Illinois Senate Black Caucus, via its chair, state Sen. Willie Preston, issued a public warning to Jeffries that it won’t support a map that dilutes Black voting population in historically Black districts. Preston is running for Rep. Robin Kelly’s (D-Ill.) seat, one of those districts. Kelly is running in the Democratic Senate primary.
Jeffries’ trip to Chicago is an acknowledgment that support from Black lawmakers will be crucial toward passing a new map. Preston will also be in the meeting today, per a person familiar with his plans.
Illinois has three historically Black districts held by Kelly and Democratic Reps. Danny Davis and Jonathan Jackson. Black lawmakers have voiced concerns that squeezing another seat out of the state could lower the number of Black voters in those districts, potentially hurting Black representation.
The state currently has 14 Democrats and three Republicans. Democrats hope to draw out one more Republican to counter President Donald Trump’s push to gerrymander in red states.
Jeffries has been working hard to get the congressional delegation on board. But Springfield has been the larger roadblock.
And there is a tight timeline on this. The ballot filing deadline closes Nov. 3. The legislature will convene this week for a veto session.
