Obama Whines That TX Redistricting Is a Threat to Democracy, But His Past Efforts Come Back to Bite Him

Former President Barack Obama is once again lecturing the country on democracy—this time accusing Texas Republicans of a “power grab” over their proposed redistricting plan. But while he decries GOP efforts to redraw congressional maps, critics say he’s conveniently ignoring his own past involvement in Democrat-led gerrymandering operations.

In a post on X, Obama claimed,
“We can’t lose focus on what matters – right now, Republicans in Texas are trying to gerrymander district lines to unfairly win five seats in next year’s midterm elections. This is a power grab that undermines our democracy.”

What Obama doesn’t mention: he was directly involved in building a redistricting machine for Democrats not too long ago. In fact, he helped launch a campaign called All On The Line, affiliated with the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), which explicitly trained left-wing activists to influence the drawing of congressional districts across the country—including in deep blue states where Democrats had full control.

Back in 2019, Obama proudly announced a program called Redistricting U, saying,
“We need to build this movement from the ground up—right now. I can’t wait to begin organizing when the redistricting process starts in 2021.”

So when Democrats flee Texas to stall a vote and Obama cries foul over partisan map-making, the hypocrisy isn’t subtle—it’s stunning.

And this isn’t just political theater—it’s part of a broader effort by Democrats to protect their grip on power by any means necessary. Texas Democrats recently walked out to block the GOP’s redistricting vote, a move that effectively shuts down the democratic process they claim to defend.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about protecting voters—it’s about preserving political control.

Obama’s partners at the NDRC didn’t even try to hide their real goals. An IRS document from 2017 stated plainly that their mission is to “favorably position Democrats for the redistricting process.” No mention of fairness—just partisan advantage. And when former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker pointed this out, it became even more clear: the goal was always more seats for Democrats, not more voice for voters.

Need more proof? Look at what happened in Illinois in 2021—the same year Obama said he was eager to start “organizing.” Democrats in the state he once represented pushed through a map that carved up Republican districts to the point where they could dominate 14 of 17 congressional seats. One alternative version of the map would’ve reduced Republicans to just two seats statewide.

Not surprisingly, the final map earned an “F” for fairness from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, citing “significant Democratic advantage.”

The activist arm of Obama’s redistricting effort, All On The Line, rallied to support the Illinois map, sending trained organizers into action to defend one of the most brazen partisan power grabs in the country. But when Texas Republicans pursue their own redistricting strategy—well within the law and consistent with what both parties have done for decades—suddenly it’s the end of democracy?

It’s a textbook case of do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do politics.

The truth is, Democrats and their allies are more than comfortable with gerrymandering—so long as they’re the ones holding the pen. When Republicans use the same tools to reflect shifting political realities in red states, it’s treated like a national emergency.

Obama’s latest outcry isn’t about democracy. It’s about control. And once again, it shows that when it comes to redistricting, the left is only “pro-fairness” when the maps tilt blue.