WASHINGTON — Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Sunday that he believes mid-decade redistricting is a “mistake” by both parties that could eventually lead to more political violence.
“I think that it’s going to lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country,” he said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” casting blame on both parties for redrawing maps to boost their prospects in next year’s midterm elections.
Paul pointed to how members of the minority party could feel if politicians redraw districts to increase the majority party’s power.
“Like in my state, we’re a very Republican state, but we have one Democrat area in Louisville and we have a Democrat congressman. We could carve up Louisville and get rid of that one congressman,” he said. “But how does that make Democrats feel? I think it makes them feel like they’re not represented.”
Asked again to clarify if he believed redistricting pushes could lead to political violence, Paul told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker, “I think there is the potential that when people have no representation, that they feel disenfranchised, that it can lead and might lead to violence in our country.”
His comments come after the Indiana state Senate rejected a redrawn congressional map aimed at benefiting Republicans in next year’s elections. Texas’ push to redraw maps to try to flip five seats red launched a nationwide tit-for-tat redistricting battle in states across the country.
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump turned his attention to Indiana, urging state lawmakers to pass maps to favor the GOP, or else he would back primary challenges. After he called out state lawmakers in posts to Truth Social, at least 11 Indiana Republicans faced threats or swatting.
An NBC News analysis found that at least 22 officials from both parties have faced threats in recent weeks after Trump publicly criticized his political opponents.
Paul argued that both parties were to blame for redistricting, pointing to California as an example of Democrats pushing to reduce Republican representation.
In November, California voters approved a new Democratic-drawn congressional map that could let the party gain up to five seats next year. The map was drawn in response to Texas’ redistricting push.
“In general, when it becomes so extreme, like if California has no Republican representatives after this is done or has one left, I think that makes people so dissatisfied,” he said. “They think, ‘Well, the electoral process isn’t working anymore. Maybe we have to resort to other means.’”
“And I don’t want that, and I think both parties it could happen to, but I think we need to be aware of and think about that before we do all this,” he added.
Paul said he does not know how the parties can de-escalate the situation.
Last week, Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., also condemned redistricting efforts, saying in a “Meet the Press” interview that he agreed with Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., who criticized redistricting and has said that “if you fight fire with fire long enough, all you’re going to have left is ashes.”
Clyburn also said last week that the country was going through “a repeat of a history that led to some catastrophic consequences in our previous history.”
