The case Gill v. Whitford pending before the U.S. Supreme Court was brought by 12 Democrats after the Republicans in the Wisconsin State Assembly manipulated the state's voting map to stay in power.
However, the issue of partisan gerrymandering crosses party lines. Both Republicans and Democrats have been guilty of the practice, which is undermining our democracy.
Several Republicans have stood up for the Supreme Court to end the practice of gerrymandering and submitted a friend-of-the-court brief in the case.
Here's what these lawmakers have to say.
Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA)
“Thirty years ago, my hero, Ronald Reagan, called partisan gerrymandering ‘antidemocratic and un-American. And it’s only gotten worse since then. It’s time for the Supreme Court to step up and rein in this corrosive, rigged practice that undermines our leaders’ ability to come together as Americans and solve our pressing challenges. When our average margin of victory in congressional races hit 37% last year, it should have been a wake-up call to all politicians to quit acting like banana republic dictators and allow fair elections with districts that represent the people, not the parties. Quite simply, gerrymandering must be terminated and the sooner the better.”
Governor John Kasich (R-OH)
“The Court has a unique opportunity in this case to support fair, common sense standards for how districts are drawn and put legislators in a better position to work together to effectively govern and get results.”
Senator John McCain (R-AZ)
“This new breed of ‘bulk’ partisan gerrymandering distorts statewide votes, systematically diluting the effect of votes based on political affiliation and leading to the election of congressional and state legislative delegations that do not represent the will of the voters. This practice violates ‘the core principle of republican government, namely, that the voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around.’”
Former Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
“The promise of the United States Congress is finding common ground to solve America’s greatest challenges. Unprecedented levels of partisanship and polarization have degraded that promise and extreme partisan gerrymandering deserves a share of the blame. When the only races that matter are partisan primaries, there are regrettably no incentives to build consensus across the political aisle – which is the only way to solve problems. I encourage the Supreme Court to curb excessive partisan gerrymandering and help our Congress return to the problem-solving body our founders intended it to be.”
Former Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN)
“For decades, leaders on both sides of the aisle adhered to the notion that partisanship stopped at the water’s edge. Unfortunately, today’s unrelenting partisanship on Capitol Hill means that that notion too often falls by the wayside. One of the causes of this dynamic is gerrymandering, whereby too many seats are safely controlled by one party or the other. For the good of our country, I urge the Supreme Court to take a stand and help curtail this practice.”
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
“The Framers intended the House of Representatives to be the ‘People’s House’ – an institution directly accountable to the electorate through frequent and competitive elections. Extreme partisan redistricting undermines constituent-focused representation and forces lawmakers to ideological extremes, growing the divide of partisanship that grinds the gears of government to a halt. Basic limits on extreme gerrymandering will make Congress a more representative institution by giving the American People fewer politicians and more independent voices focused on serving.”
