Rockford Sun

Senate Republicans have criticized Governor JB Pritzker for his recent comments on redistricting in other states, questioning his credibility on the issue due to actions taken during his tenure in Illinois. The criticism comes as Pritzker has weighed in on political debates outside Illinois, including those related to how legislative districts are drawn.

During his campaign, Pritzker pledged support for independent redistricting and promised to veto any gerrymandered maps. However, after taking office, he approved maps in 2021 that were created by Democratic lawmakers without public input. According to Senate Republicans, these maps were intended to maintain Democratic control rather than provide fair representation.

Republican lawmakers argue that Pritzker’s recent statements about fairness in redistricting are inconsistent with his record in Illinois. They claim that after supporting partisan mapmaking at home, the governor’s calls for reform elsewhere appear motivated by political interests rather than principle.

They further contend that “if the rules only matter when his party benefits, it was never about voters or fairness.” Instead of addressing what they describe as previous harm caused by partisan redistricting, Republicans say Pritzker is continuing a pattern of prioritizing party advantage over transparency.

Senate Republicans maintain that Illinois residents deserve an open and transparent process for drawing legislative districts and have called for an end to what they describe as “political games from Springfield.”

Syverson, a Republican who was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1993 representing the 35th District, is among those voicing concerns about the state’s approach to redistricting.