Fact check: When was the last time a blue state gerrymandered districts

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, blue states are actively engaged in gerrymandering efforts as of 2025. The most prominent current example is California under Governor Gavin Newsom, who has signed a redistricting plan specifically designed to counter Texas' new congressional map and help Democrats win five additional U.S. House seats in 2026 ^{[1] [2]}.

Illinois represents another clear case of blue state gerrymandering, with Governor JB Pritzker considering redistricting the state's congressional map ^[1]. The state's current map already contains non-compact districts and more county splits than average according to the Gerrymander Project ^[3].

New York under Governor Kathy Hochul has also threatened to respond to Texas' new map with potential redistricting efforts, though they face some state law limitations in the near term ^[4]. Maryland provides a historical example through the Benisek v. Lamone case, where the Democratic-controlled legislature was accused of engineering a flip in the 6th Congressional District to punish Republican voters ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question assumes gerrymandering by blue states is a past occurrence, but the analyses reveal it's an ongoing, active practice in 2025. The question fails to acknowledge that gerrymandering is currently happening as part of a "redistricting arms race" between red and blue states ^[4].

Democratic governors and state legislatures benefit significantly from these gerrymandering efforts by potentially securing additional congressional seats and maintaining political power. Specifically, Gavin Newsom's California redistricting could deliver five more House seats to Democrats ^[2], while JB Pritzker's Illinois could further solidify Democratic control ^[1].

The analyses also reveal that blue state gerrymandering is often framed as reactive rather than proactive - California's efforts are explicitly described as responses to Texas' redistricting ^[6]. However, this framing may obscure the fact that both parties engage in gerrymandering when they have the opportunity and political control.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains a temporal bias by asking "when was the last time" blue states gerrymandered, implying this is a historical rather than current practice. The analyses clearly show that blue state gerrymandering is happening right now in 2025 ^{[1] [2]}.

The question also contains an implicit assumption that blue state gerrymandering is less frequent or significant than red state gerrymandering. The analyses demonstrate that multiple blue states including California, Illinois, New York, and Maryland are either actively gerrymandering or have recent histories of doing so ^{[3] [1] [4] [5]}.

By framing gerrymandering as a past action, the question potentially minimizes the current political reality where both parties engage in redistricting manipulation when they control state governments and have the legal authority to do so.