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ICYMI: National Journal: Redistricting reflections with NDRC President John Bisognano

Washington, D.C. — This week, the National Journal published an interview with John Bisognano, President of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), reflecting on developments in Trump’s mid-decade gerrymandering crisis.

In the piece, Bisognano discusses how NDRC & Affiliates have played a central role in the fight against Republican attempts to enact mid-decade gerrymanders across the country, and he warns that Republicans will take the national gerrymandering crisis even further this year. After the article was published, Governor DeSantis called for an April special session in the Florida Legislature to further gerrymander the Sunshine State’s congressional map.

Excerpts from the interview are available below:

Bisgonano said Trump threatened to return the congressional battlefield “to the days of 2014, where only one party could win,” which catalyzed his committee’s pivot toward supporting mid-decade redraws. The California plan, which passed overwhelmingly via statewide initiative, marked a major win for Holder, Bisognano, and the committee. After California, Democrats began to chip away at GOP gains throughout the summer months. They scored a win in Utah when a district court judge struck down the Republican-drawn map and selected one with a new Democratic seat in the Salt Lake County area. Virginia Democrats also kicked off the process by passing a constitutional amendment through the Legislature. 

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Heading into 2026, Bisognano said there’s still much to be determined before votes are cast in the midterms, and he said he’s concerned that Indiana’s failure might only embolden Trump to more aggressively pursue redistricting in other states. 

“I think places like Virginia and Florida are going to be critical to what the map looks like nationally in 2026,” he said.

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All told, Bisognano said he’s happy with the work his group accomplished last year in raising awareness on an issue that’s otherwise relatively insignificant for voters, pointing to the more than 7 million voters who came out in favor of the California map.  

“I think most people reject the notion that the House of Representatives should be rigged and only have the ability for one party to maintain power,” he said. 
“I genuinely believe that if you talk to a person on the street, maybe they won’t say, ‘I definitely want Democrats to win the House of Representatives in 2026.’ What they probably will say is, ‘I want whomever gets the most votes to be able to win the House.’”

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