Doggett bows out after SCOTUS upholds GOP-drawn map — warns GOP's redistricting could backfire
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, announced he would not seek re-election after a Supreme Court decision upheld the redline Republicans had drawn through his district, a decision emblematic of the tough...
By Fox News · Fox News
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, announced he would not seek re-election after a Supreme Court decision upheld the redline Republicans had drawn through his district, a decision emblematic of the tough calculus Democrats face in the Lone Star State amid a new slate of congressional districts. Despite his personal loss, Doggett, 79, believes Democrats have a unique reason for optimism: he thinks Republicans have given themselves a vulnerability in their redistricting efforts by basing their rework on the results of the last election — and that in doing so they may have spread themselves too thin. "My overall view is one of cautious optimism that people recognize that the midterm elections began this summer by Trump when he initiated the new redistricting," Doggett told Fox News Digital on Wednesday morning. "I think there are several state House seats that have become competitive that may not have been competitive last time," he said. TRUMP TURNS UP THE HEAT ON RED-STATE REPUBLICANS BLOCKING NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAPS The Supreme Court’s affirmation of the new maps cements new political realities in the Lone Star State designed to squeeze five Democrats out of office, and it puts to bed questions about the lawfulness of the change. Although Doggett’s exit makes a Democratic victory in Texas’ 37th Congressional District more unlikely and has forced other Democrats like Rep. Marc Veasy, D-Texas, into similar retirement decisions, questions remain about whether those advantages are short-term gains or if Republicans can reliably expect to benefit in years to come. Matthew Green, professor of political science at the Catholic University of America, said the new political landscape — like all gerrymandering efforts — is an advantage that will change over time. "Gerrymandering can have different effects in differing states over time, but in general, partisan gerrymanders tend to ‘stack the deck’ towards one party or another," Green said. "Texas is potentially unpredictable; Latin…