Fact check: Are there US states where the democrates do gerrymandering ?

1. Summary of the results

Yes, there are multiple US states where Democrats engage in gerrymandering. The evidence clearly shows that Democratic governors and lawmakers in several states are actively pursuing redistricting efforts that could be characterized as gerrymandering.

Key states where Democrats are involved in gerrymandering include:

• California - Democratic lawmakers are pushing to redraw congressional districts specifically to help Democrats pick up five additional U.S. House seats ^{[1] [2]}. Governor Gavin Newsom is planning to redraw California's congressional maps for this purpose ^[1]. California Democrats have passed redistricting bills as a counter-strategy ^[3].
• Illinois - Governor JB Pritzker has left the door open to redistricting the state's congressional map ^{[4] [1]}, indicating potential Democratic gerrymandering efforts in the state.
• New York and Maryland - Democratic governors in these states have discussed redrawing congressional maps ^[4], suggesting active consideration of gerrymandering strategies.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about the reactive nature of Democratic gerrymandering efforts. The analyses reveal that Democratic redistricting is often framed as a defensive response to Republican gerrymandering, particularly in Texas ^{[3] [5]}.

Key missing context includes:

• Justification narrative - California Assemblyman Marc Berman stated: "We don't want this fight, and we didn't choose this fight, but with our democracy on the line, we cannot and will not run away from this fight" ^[3], indicating Democrats position their gerrymandering as necessary retaliation.
• Redistricting arms race - The sources describe an ongoing "redistricting arms race" where both parties engage in gerrymandering as counter-strategies ^{[4] [5]}.
• Timing and triggers - Democratic redistricting efforts appear to be responses to Republican actions, particularly in Texas, rather than independent initiatives ^{[3] [5]}.

Who benefits from different narratives:

• Democratic Party leadership benefits from framing their gerrymandering as defensive and necessary
• Republican strategists benefit from highlighting Democratic gerrymandering to justify their own efforts
• Reform advocates benefit from emphasizing the bipartisan nature of gerrymandering to push for systemic changes

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains a spelling error ("democrates" instead of "Democrats") but is otherwise factually neutral. However, the question's framing could be seen as potentially biased because:

• Selective focus - By asking specifically about Democratic gerrymandering without acknowledging the broader bipartisan practice, it may imply that gerrymandering is primarily a Democratic issue.
• Missing broader context - The question doesn't acknowledge that gerrymandering is practiced by both major political parties across multiple states, which the sources clearly demonstrate through references to Republican efforts in Texas and other states ^{[6] [5]}.
• Lack of comparative framework - The question doesn't provide context for comparing the scale or impact of Democratic versus Republican gerrymandering efforts, which would be necessary for a complete understanding of the issue.

The evidence conclusively shows that Democrats do engage in gerrymandering in multiple US states, but this practice occurs within a broader context of bipartisan redistricting battles.