Fact check: Who gerrymanders the most democrats or republicans

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, both Democrats and Republicans engage in gerrymandering, but the evidence suggests Republicans currently have more structural advantages and are driving more aggressive redistricting efforts.

Republican advantages include:

• Control over more redistricting processes - 17 states have Republican-controlled redistricting compared to only 7 Democratic-controlled states ^[1]
• Current aggressive push - President Trump explicitly asked Texas Republicans to draw five more congressional seats for the GOP, with Republican state senators stating their objective is to "elect more Republicans to the U.S. Congress" ^[2]
• Projected gains - Republican mapmakers believe they can gain 9-12 seats through gerrymandering ^[1]

Democratic gerrymandering examples:

• Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland show significant Democratic advantages in congressional seats despite Republican vote percentages ^[3]
• Illinois is specifically cited as a Democratic state "guilty of the practice" alongside Republican Texas ^[4]
• California and New York are considering retaliatory redistricting efforts in response to Republican actions ^{[1] [5]}

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several crucial contextual factors:

Historical and technological evolution:

• Gerrymandering has become "more egregious in recent years due to advanced computer algorithms" that allow for more precise manipulation ^[4]
• The practice affects both parties and has been exacerbated by the lack of effective guardrails to prevent it ^[4]

Reform efforts:

• Some states like Virginia and Arizona have implemented independent redistricting commissions or ballot initiatives to reduce gerrymandering ^[4]
• The analyses show this is not just about which party does it more, but about systemic issues with the redistricting process itself

Current political dynamics:

• The question emerges during a period of heightened redistricting battles sparked by Trump's Texas initiative, creating a potential "gerrymandering battle royale" ^[5]
• Both parties have incentives to avoid an all-out gerrymandering war despite current tensions ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains an implicit bias by framing gerrymandering as a zero-sum competition between parties rather than addressing it as a systemic democratic problem. This framing:

• Normalizes the practice by suggesting it's acceptable as long as "the other side does it more"
• Ignores reform solutions that could benefit democratic representation regardless of party
• Oversimplifies a complex issue where both historical patterns and current control structures matter

The question also lacks temporal context - while both parties have engaged in gerrymandering historically ^[4], the current moment shows Republicans with more structural control and aggressive initiatives ^{[1] [2]}, making a simple "who does it more" comparison misleading without acknowledging these power dynamics.

Beneficiaries of different narratives:

• Republican leaders benefit from "both sides do it" narratives that deflect from their current structural advantages
• Democratic leaders benefit from emphasizing Republican control while downplaying their own gerrymandering in states like Illinois and Maryland
• Reform advocates benefit from framing this as a bipartisan democratic crisis requiring systemic solutions