IL Gov Pritzker: GOP ‘Tossed the Rulebook Out’ and We’ll Do 'Whatever It Takes to Preserve Democracy'

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker told Stephen Colbert he’s sheltering Texas Democrats who fled to avoid a redistricting vote, calling their actions heroic and accusing Republicans of undermining democracy. But critics argue Pritzker’s position reeks of hypocrisy given Illinois’ own gerrymandering history.

Key Facts:

Texas Democrats fled their state to block a vote on redistricting and are currently in Illinois.
Governor Pritzker labeled the Republican redistricting effort a violation of the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act.
Pritzker vowed to protect the Texas lawmakers from civil warrants and potential FBI action.
Colbert questioned whether Illinois might retaliate with gerrymandering of its own; Pritzker said “everything is on the table.”
Pritzker claimed GOP efforts target “black and brown” voters and promised to “do whatever it takes to preserve democracy.”

The Rest of The Story:

During an appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Governor J.B. Pritzker defended his decision to host Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled their home state to avoid a redistricting vote.

Colbert opened the discussion by calling the Texas lawmakers “fugitives” and jokingly asked if Pritzker was hiding them around Chicago. Pritzker affirmed, “We keep them — you know, the same place that Bush’s VP was in.”

Pritzker accused Republicans of trying to “steal five seats” and called the redistricting effort unconstitutional. He praised the Texas Democrats, saying they were heroes and had come to Illinois as a “safe haven.” He also said he was proud to protect them from civil warrants issued in Texas.

Colbert brought up the idea of blue states retaliating with gerrymandering of their own. Pritzker replied that “everything is on the table,” and claimed Republicans had “tossed the rulebook out.”

He argued that redistricting efforts were discriminatory and that courts would eventually get involved, but for now, his administration would continue to offer protection.

Senator John Cornyn had reportedly called on the FBI to arrest the absent Texas lawmakers. Pritzker, a lawyer himself, responded by saying, “They have not broken any federal law,” and promised, “We are not going to let them get taken away.” He dismissed the civil warrant’s authority in Illinois.

Commentary:

First things first: the United States is a constitutional republic, not a democracy. That distinction matters. A republic relies on checks and balances, limited government, and state sovereignty. Pritzker knows this — and yet he throws the word “democracy” around as if it were a catchphrase for centralized rule.

Let’s be clear: Illinois is among the most gerrymandered states in the country. Democrats there have used every trick in the book to maintain power, carving out districts that all but guarantee one-party rule. Pritzker’s suggestion that he’s standing up for “fairness” is laughable in that context.

Meanwhile, Illinois continues to lose people. Residents are packing up and heading to freer states — Texas, Florida, Tennessee. They’re fleeing high taxes, crime, and broken leadership.

Texas, on the other hand, continues to grow and attract businesses. So who’s really winning the argument?

This isn’t about voting rights or constitutional principles. It’s about power — raw, naked, political power. Pritzker and his allies want to cement Democrat control while accusing Republicans of the very tactics they use every election cycle.

Flooding the country with illegal immigrants, expanding welfare dependency, and undermining the electoral college are not acts of patriotism. Yet these are the very policies blue state leaders push under the false flag of “saving democracy.”

When Pritzker says he’s fighting for democracy, he really means he wants a one-party system. That’s not democracy. That’s authoritarianism dressed up in campaign slogans.

If Democrats truly cared about constitutional principles, they wouldn’t flee states to shut down legislative processes. They wouldn’t weaponize the courts. And they certainly wouldn’t celebrate breaking quorum as heroic.

The Texas Democrats aren’t refugees. They’re political operatives hiding behind sanctuary states and media applause. And Pritzker is helping them because he shares their agenda: centralized power and permanent progressive control.

The Bottom Line:

Governor Pritzker is hosting Texas Democrats who fled to block redistricting, claiming it’s about protecting voting rights. But his defense of “democracy” rings hollow in one of the most gerrymandered states in the nation. What’s really at stake is not fairness — it’s control.