Abbreviation | NDRC |
---|---|
Founded | 2017 |
Headquarters | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Key people |
|
Website | https://democraticredistricting.com |
The National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) is a US political organization that focuses on redistricting and is aligned with the Democratic Party. It was founded in 2017 with the primary goal of stopping partisan gerrymandering and advocating for fair and transparent redistricting processes. [1] The organization coordinates campaign strategy, supports redistricting reform, and files lawsuits against state redistricting maps. [2]
Former Attorney General Eric Holder serves as Chairman of the NDRC. John Bisognano serves as President, and Marina Jenkins serves as Executive Director. [3] In 2016, President Barack Obama has said he would be involved with the organization as the main focus of his political activity after his presidency. [2] According to NDRC senior adviser and former US Representative Mark Schauer, the organization intends to attract support from party officials, labor unions, and the America Votes coalition of progressive activists. [4]
The NDRC is the first group within the Democratic Party to formulate a centralized strategy for gaining control of the redistricting process; in contrast, the Republican Party launched REDMAP to elect Republicans to perform redistricting during the 2010 cycle. [5] [6] The NDRC is organized as a not-for-profit 527 organization, analogous to a political action committee (PAC) or Super PAC. [4] [7] It was founded in 2016 and formally registered with the IRS on August 15. [4] It was officially launched on January 12, 2017. [8]
In his speech to the Center for American Progress Action Fund announcing the launch of the NDRC, Holder laid out a three-point “going into the states” strategy for tackling gerrymandering, including investing in down-ballot Democratic candidates, taking legal action to reform existing maps in state and federal courts, and promoting ballot measures for independent redistricting commissions. He described gerrymandering as "the biggest rigged system in America". [8]
In response to the launch of the NDRC, the Republican Party launched the National Republican Redistricting Trust (NRRT) in 2017. The NDRC invested $350,000 in the 2019 Wisconsin Supreme Court election in support of liberal candidates, in hopes that a liberal majority on the state supreme court may strike down gerrymandered maps in 2021. [5]
For the 2020 redistricting cycle, the Republican Party controls redistricting for 187 seats in the US House of Representatives, compared to 75 seats controlled by the Democratic Party. Noting the decrease in competitive House seats, NDRC president Burton said that "what Republicans are doing is doubling down on the gerrymandering of the last decade," in reference to gerrymandering by Republicans in Texas, Ohio and North Carolina. [9]
In 2022, The New York Times called the 2022 congressional map the "fairest congressional map in 40 years." Their analysis showed a dramatic decrease in House Republicans' structural advantage from 23 seats in 2012, to 11 seats in 2020, to just 3 seats in 2022. [10]
Since 2018, National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) Chairman Eric Holder, has invested time and resources each year into Wisconsin Supreme Court races. [11] Over the past decade, Holder has made numerous trips to mobilize voters and brought increased national attention to the campaigns. [12]
In 2023, Holder endorsed Judge Janet Protasiewicz following the Wisconsin Supreme Court primary election. [13] Leading up to the general election, Holder participated in a series of fundraisers for the candidate, joint events with the Wisconsin Democratic Party, and interviews with local news. [14] [15]
The NDRC leads the Democrats' effort to pursue legal action to get courts to draw additional Black-majority or Black-plurality districts in Alabama, Louisiana and South Carolina. [16]
In 2021, Republicans filed a lawsuit against the Oregon congressional map, arguing that it amounted to a "clear, egregious partisan gerrymander" in favor of Democrats. [17] In October, the committee defended the new map of Oregon's congressional districts, which was passed by Oregon Democrats against Republican opposition in September, by arguing that it meets legal standards and was the product of bipartisan negotiation. [18] A five-judge judicial panel found there was no proof that the maps were illegally gerrymandered in favor of Democrats. [19]
The National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) has two affiliated organizations; a 501(c)(4), the National Redistricting Action Fund (NRAF), and a 501(c)(3), the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF).
Abbreviation | NDRC |
---|---|
Founded | 2017 |
Headquarters | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Key people |
|
Website | https://democraticredistricting.com |
The National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) is a US political organization that focuses on redistricting and is aligned with the Democratic Party. It was founded in 2017 with the primary goal of stopping partisan gerrymandering and advocating for fair and transparent redistricting processes. [1] The organization coordinates campaign strategy, supports redistricting reform, and files lawsuits against state redistricting maps. [2]
Former Attorney General Eric Holder serves as Chairman of the NDRC. John Bisognano serves as President, and Marina Jenkins serves as Executive Director. [3] In 2016, President Barack Obama has said he would be involved with the organization as the main focus of his political activity after his presidency. [2] According to NDRC senior adviser and former US Representative Mark Schauer, the organization intends to attract support from party officials, labor unions, and the America Votes coalition of progressive activists. [4]
The NDRC is the first group within the Democratic Party to formulate a centralized strategy for gaining control of the redistricting process; in contrast, the Republican Party launched REDMAP to elect Republicans to perform redistricting during the 2010 cycle. [5] [6] The NDRC is organized as a not-for-profit 527 organization, analogous to a political action committee (PAC) or Super PAC. [4] [7] It was founded in 2016 and formally registered with the IRS on August 15. [4] It was officially launched on January 12, 2017. [8]
In his speech to the Center for American Progress Action Fund announcing the launch of the NDRC, Holder laid out a three-point “going into the states” strategy for tackling gerrymandering, including investing in down-ballot Democratic candidates, taking legal action to reform existing maps in state and federal courts, and promoting ballot measures for independent redistricting commissions. He described gerrymandering as "the biggest rigged system in America". [8]
In response to the launch of the NDRC, the Republican Party launched the National Republican Redistricting Trust (NRRT) in 2017. The NDRC invested $350,000 in the 2019 Wisconsin Supreme Court election in support of liberal candidates, in hopes that a liberal majority on the state supreme court may strike down gerrymandered maps in 2021. [5]
For the 2020 redistricting cycle, the Republican Party controls redistricting for 187 seats in the US House of Representatives, compared to 75 seats controlled by the Democratic Party. Noting the decrease in competitive House seats, NDRC president Burton said that "what Republicans are doing is doubling down on the gerrymandering of the last decade," in reference to gerrymandering by Republicans in Texas, Ohio and North Carolina. [9]
In 2022, The New York Times called the 2022 congressional map the "fairest congressional map in 40 years." Their analysis showed a dramatic decrease in House Republicans' structural advantage from 23 seats in 2012, to 11 seats in 2020, to just 3 seats in 2022. [10]
Since 2018, National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) Chairman Eric Holder, has invested time and resources each year into Wisconsin Supreme Court races. [11] Over the past decade, Holder has made numerous trips to mobilize voters and brought increased national attention to the campaigns. [12]
In 2023, Holder endorsed Judge Janet Protasiewicz following the Wisconsin Supreme Court primary election. [13] Leading up to the general election, Holder participated in a series of fundraisers for the candidate, joint events with the Wisconsin Democratic Party, and interviews with local news. [14] [15]
The NDRC leads the Democrats' effort to pursue legal action to get courts to draw additional Black-majority or Black-plurality districts in Alabama, Louisiana and South Carolina. [16]
In 2021, Republicans filed a lawsuit against the Oregon congressional map, arguing that it amounted to a "clear, egregious partisan gerrymander" in favor of Democrats. [17] In October, the committee defended the new map of Oregon's congressional districts, which was passed by Oregon Democrats against Republican opposition in September, by arguing that it meets legal standards and was the product of bipartisan negotiation. [18] A five-judge judicial panel found there was no proof that the maps were illegally gerrymandered in favor of Democrats. [19]
The National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) has two affiliated organizations; a 501(c)(4), the National Redistricting Action Fund (NRAF), and a 501(c)(3), the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF).