What the Texas redistricting fight has exposed is that there’s a huge (D)ifference in how liberals in the media react to partisan gerrymandering. The panel liberals on CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip had a very hard time defending Texas Democrats’ flight to gerrymandered blue states.
Watch as Scott Jennings and Shermichael Singleton laugh at panel liberals Julie Roginsky and Xochitl Hinojosa’s justifications for the fleebagging (click “expand” to view transcript):
SCOTT JENNINGS: They should go to work. Should they not? I mean, they got elected to represent people in Texas, not people in Illinois.
JULIE ROGINSKY: So should Congress. Why did they abandon the House to not vote on these Epstein files?
JENNINGS: It's the August recess. And if you're comparing to --
ROGINSKY: Oh, no, no, it was not the August reces…
JENNINGS: Once again, you're showing just how --
ROGINSKY: …it was not- it was not…
JENNINGS: Once again, you’re- you’re showing just how dishonest you’re willing to be.
ROGINSKY: …it was not- it was not the August recess. They left early.
JENNINGS: The reality is they got elected. They got elected to go to work in the Texas State Capitol. They've left the state. They're abandoning their constituents. And if they want to go vote against the map, that's fine, but running off to Illinois, the most gerrymandered state in the country, I mean, I understand no one in the PR. department at the Texas House Democratic Conference must have been at work that day, but it looks horrific for them.
(CROSSTALK)
SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON: …let it be horrific. Let it be horrific.
XOCHITL HINOJOSA: And I want to speak to this because, in full disclosure, my sister was one of the people who fled to Illinois, who's a state representative in Austin. And what I will say about that is that they had to flee. They don't have control.
JENNINGS: Had to flee?
HINOJOSA: Let me tell you, they don't have control…
JENNINGS: Are they in danger?
HINOJOSA: …of the House or the Senate or the Governor's mansion or anything in Texas? But what I will say is that Republicans are trying to take away districts ,and on the backs of Latino and African American voters in the state. And there are several districts in South Texas where I was born and raised on the border, Houston, Austin, where they are trying to dilute the Latino vote and trying to kick out people, like Greg Casar and the representative, Sylvia Garcia, from Houston. And these are elected leaders that were picked by Latino voters. And so, yes, I think it is right for the Texas legislators to get up and go. This is not- they’re- the only reason they're doing this is for political purposes, and Trump has said himself over and over that he is only doing this because he wants to pick up seats for the midterm election. He’s not doing this for any other reason
JENNINGS: So, you get elected to represent people in Texas, and your reaction to that is to go to Illinois and hide behind JB Pritzker?
HINOJOSA: They're breaking quorum. That's what they're doing.
JENNINGS: I mean…I mean…
HINOJOSA: They're breaking quorum because it is not right --
JENNINGS: It's- at a minimum it's childish, and it might be criminal.
HINOJOSA: Well- you know which childish and criminal, is Abbott, who is going against the will of the voters by redistricting, not based on census data, but based on Donald Trump's will in order to gain more seats because Donald Trump is scared about losing the House of Representatives because of higher costs.
JENNINGS: I just think they should go to work. They should go to work.
The libs’ arguments drew laughter from the panel conservatives as they struggled to make persuasive arguments in favor of protesting gerrymandering by running to very gerrymandered Democrat states. And it bears noting that this is in no small part due to Abby Phillip not being present to cut them off at every turn.
What John Berman brings to the NewsNight table is akin to an MMA referee that lets fighters stand and throw without constantly and unnecessary injecting themselves into the fight. Too often with Phillip, the case is that she fancies herself both combatant and referee. Phillip’s cut-ins often break in favor of panel liberals about to get owned, or so she can weigh in with her own DC-Speak spin on whatever issue is before The Table. One imagines her cutting Singleton off mid-sentence with some point about “the Ken Paxton of it all”. And in an earlier segment, so did Singleton.
NOT HAVING IT- @MrShermichael Singleton shuts down panel lib attempts to cut him off mid-argument: "Let me finish my frickin' point, PLEASE. I know we don't like to do that at this table." pic.twitter.com/LSLnm5cOYY
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) August 6, 2025
Roginsky would attempt another pass at the House summer recess talking point, only to get rebuffed again and called out by both Jennings and Singleton:
Scott Jennings calls Dem panelist Julie Roginsky out for saying that Speaker Mike Johnson called the summer recess WEEKS ahead of time. He called it on July 22nd. pic.twitter.com/7czydTX636
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) August 6, 2025
ROGINSKY: Scott just mentioned the August recess. Republicans left not in August. They left in July. They left several weeks early.
JENNINGS: No, they didn’t.
ROGINSKY: You could laugh and smirk. Yes, they did, Scott.
JENNINGS: Several weeks? It's a lie.
ROGINSKY: It's not a -- Scott, it's not a lie.
SINGLETON: It is.
ROGINSKY: Actually, you said August recess. They left in July. And they left in July and they said they left in July because they didn't want to vote on the Epstein matter. They didn't want to vote to release the Epstein files.
No Abby means no shelter for Roginsky, rightfully called out for misrepresenting the House summer recess that was, in fact, called on July 22nd. That's nine days early. Not "weeks".
Without Phillip present, panel liberals had far less shelter than they are accustomed to- and it showed during discussion of Texas' fleebagging Democrats.
Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned segment as aired on CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip on Tuesday, August 5th, 2025:
JOHN BERMAN: All right. Tonight, will the FBI help Texas go after Democrats who left the state to avoid voting on a new Congressional map? That is the request from Republican Senator John Cornyn, who happens to be in a tough Senate primary, I should note. He sent a letter to the FBI director asking the agency to assist state law enforcement officials to locate or arrest potential law breakers who have fled the state. And it appears President Trump is on board.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARY BRUCE: Do you want the federal government and the FBI to help locate and arrest these Texas Democrats who have left the state?
DONALD TRUMP: Well, I think they've abandoned the state. Nobody's seen anything like it, even though they've done it twice before. And in a certain way, it almost looks like they've abandoned the state. It looks very bad. Yes, go ahead, please.
BRUCE: Should the FBI get involved?
TRUMP: Well, they may have to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: All right. I want to start with you, Mimi Rocah. As a former prosecutor, is that a thing?
MIMI ROCAH: No, the FBI does not have the power to arrest people on what would be civil warrants. I mean, it's as simple as that. So, this is politics. I'll leave it at that. I mean, there just is no legitimate authority for the FBI to do that.
BERMAN: Why ever then is John Cornyn asking for it? Anyone?
JULIE ROGINSKY: He's trying to out-Paxton… he’s trying to out-Paxton Paxton, right? I mean --
JENNINGS: They should go to work. Should they not? I mean, they got elected to represent people in Texas, not people in Illinois.
ROGINSKY: So should Congress. Why did they abandon the House to not vote on these Epstein files?
JENNINGS: It's the August recess. And if you're comparing to --
ROGINSKY: Oh, no, no, it was not the August reces…
JENNINGS: Once again, you're showing just how --
ROGINSKY: …it was not- it was not…
JENNINGS: Once again, you’re- you’re showing just how dishonest you’re willing to be.
ROGINSKY: …it was not- it was not the August recess. They left early.
JENNINGS: The reality is they got elected. They got elected to go to work in the Texas State Capitol. They've left the state. They're abandoning their constituents. And if they want to go vote against the map, that's fine, but running off to Illinois, the most gerrymandered state in the country, I mean, I understand no one in the PR. department at the Texas House Democratic Conference must have been at work that day, but it looks horrific for them.
(CROSSTALKS)
SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON: …let it be horrific. Let it be horrific.
XOCHITL HINOJOSA: And I want to speak to this because, in full disclosure, my sister was one of the people who fled to Illinois, who's a state representative in Austin. And what I will say about that is that they had to flee. They don't have control.
JENNINGS: Had to flee?
HINOJOSA: Let me tell you, they don't have control…
JENNINGS: Are they in danger?
HINOJOSA: …of the House or the Senate or the Governor's mansion or anything in Texas? But what I will say is that Republicans are trying to take away districts ,and on the backs of Latino and African American voters in the state. And there are several districts in South Texas where I was born and raised on the border, Houston, Austin, where they are trying to dilute the Latino vote and trying to kick out people, like Greg Casar and the representative, Sylvia Garcia, from Houston. And these are elected leaders that were picked by Latino voters. And so, yes, I think it is right for the Texas legislators to get up and go. This is not- they’re- the only reason they're doing this is for political purposes, and Trump has said himself over and over that he is only doing this because he wants to pick up seats for the midterm election. He’s not doing this for any other reason
JENNINGS: So, you get elected to represent people in Texas, and your reaction to that is to go to Illinois and hide behind JB Pritzker?
HINOJOSA: They're breaking quorum. That's what they're doing.
JENNINGS: I mean…I mean…
HINOJOSA: They're breaking quorum because it is not right --
JENNINGS: It's- at a minimum it's childish, and it might be criminal.
HINOJOSA: Well- you know which childish and criminal, is Abbott, who is going against the will of the voters by redistricting, not based on census data, but based on Donald Trump's will in order to gain more seats because Donald Trump is scared about losing the House of Representatives because of higher costs.
JENNINGS: I just think they should go to work. They should go to work.
BERMAN: Let's take the president at his own words here. Let's listen to what he told CNBC this morning about how he feels they're entitled to five more seats.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We have an opportunity in Texas to pick up five seats. We have a really good governor and we have good people in Texas, and I won Texas. I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know. And we are entitled to five more seats.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: It's not actually true about Texas. Be that as it may, Shermichael, redistricting happens at the beginning of a decade.
SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON: Yes. Sure.
BERMAN: It doesn't happen in the middle of a decade. That's what's different here. This is a -- not like this. Not like this.
SINGLETON: It's different --
ROGINSKY: Or when the courts, of course, force it. Not like this.
BERMAN: When it's a court-ordered redistricting. This is Donald Trump asking for five more seats, and Greg Abbott trying to make it happen. It's different. You just have to admit this is qualitatively different.
SINGLETON: So, let's- let’s- let’s say you accept the argument that it's different. Is this an anomaly? No. Illinois, heavily gerrymandered, New York, where we are, heavily gerrymandered.
BERMAN: New York is actually not actually really heavily gerrymandered.
SINGLETON: Okay. So, let me rephrase. There are more Democrats in control here…
ROGINSKY: Because there are more Democrats registered here.
SINGLETON: …in terms of House seats than Republicans. California, more Democrats than there are. This is not an anomaly. That alone, though, I want to look at this through the political lens. Democrats, they've done this twice. Running to Illinois, to me, does not suggest or signal to your voters that you're fighters, that you're showcasing strength. I think -- I'm not a Democrat, but I would imagine if you were to ask the average Democratic voter across the country, they would probably say, I want to see my party fight instead of running and fleeing.
ROGINSKY: Gentlemen…
SINGLETON: And that's why Republicans, I would argue, continue to kick Democrats’ butt electorally because they're running from every single fight and not doing a good enough service for their constituents. But I say continue because I don't think this is going to benefit them in midterms next year.
ROGINSKY: Scott…Scott…Scott's mentioned the August recess. Republicans left not in August. They left in July. They left several weeks early.
JENNINGS: No, they didn’t.
ROGINSKY: You could laugh and smirk. Yes, they did, Scott.
JENNINGS: Several weeks? It's a lie.
ROGINSKY: It's not a -- Scott, it's not a lie.
SINGLETON: It is.
ROGINSKY: Actually, you said August recess. They left in July. And they left in July and they said they left in July because they didn't want to vote on the Epstein matter. They didn't want to vote to release the Epstein files. And so now you're saying, the senators and the congr- the senators and the reps down in Texas have to do their job because what are they scared of? But what are you guys scared of in terms of staying in Washington? What's the difference?
SINGLETON: Do you think -- you're a Democrat. I'm not. Do you think Democrats who vote for these people in Texas want to see them running or fighting? That's just a simple…
HINOJOSA: Can I? Can I…?
SINGLETON: a question.
HINOJOSA: Let me -- I just want to clear- I just want to clear up where Democrats are with the redistricting fight. What they want is an independent commission. Texas Democrats introduced legislation in Texas that, of course, went nowhere because Republicans don't want an independent commission. What is there in California? An independent commission, Democrats would prefer a fair process, an independent commission.
SINGLETON: That’s not really fair. In California, Xochitl? You know it’s not.
HINOJOSA: No, it is.
(CROSSTALK)
HINOJOSA: They wanted an independent commission. And the only reason that they're doing this is because Texas Republicans are not playing it fair to Texans. And they're trying to rig the system ahead of the midterm election. President Trump said that.
(CROSSTALKS)
SINGLETON: I think Democrats look politically weak. I think Democrats look politically feckless. And it's not going to benefit you guys next year.
JENNINGS: Regarding California, Republicans get about 40 percent of the vote and they have 17 percent of the Congressional seats, so not a great example. But number two, if it's rigging in the election, that's your words, in Texas, is it going to be rigging the election when all these Democrats who say they're going to gerrymander in the other state? Are you also going to argue that they're rigging the election or just in Texas? Have the elections been rigged in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, New Mexico, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Rhode Island? Have they been rigged there as well? Because there, the proportion of Republican vote comes nowhere near what they have in Congress.
HINOJOSA: They did a normal redistricting process. If states end up going and calling special sessions in doing all of these things to try to gain seats, I agree. I don't agree with that. Do I think they need to do it? Absolutely, because if Republicans aren't going to play fair, then Democrats aren't going to play fair. And that's the fight that we have to have right now.
SINGLETON: But Democrats aren't playing fair in some of the states --
BERMAN: All right, we'll see what happens when every state starts redistricting every year, every two years, where that leaves us. It's going to be chaos going forward. Thank you all. Mimi, thank you so much for being with us, great to see you.
