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Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin urges fellow Democrats to 'go nuclear' in redistricting fight

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a rising Democratic star from Michigan, told NBC News that Democrats should “go nuclear” to counter Republicans’ push in Texas and other red states to redraw the congressional maps in their favor.

The first-term senator, who was tapped to deliver the Democratic rebuttal to President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress this year, said Democrats have to fight fire with fire.

“I’m going to urge and encourage blue states like a California or Chicago or Illinois to do the same thing. I don’t want to do that. I want the country to have a completely nonpartisan drawing of the lines based on the census. But if they’re going to do that and go nuclear, so am I,” she said in an exclusive interview after her first and only town hall of the congressional August recess on Monday night.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/michigan-sen-elissa-slotkin-democrats-nuclear-redistricting-texas-rcna223158

(Yeah, I know she called my town a "state")

🙂 🙂 🙂

Glad I'm not the only Democrat with the biscuit ready to crack open.

But I am not for any of this "if the Republicans..."

The Republicans are going to re-draw lines in red states. Short of some unlikely intervention by the Courts that won't be overturned by SCOTUS, Texas will have more red-leaning districts. And likely Florida, too.

Their legislatures control the timelines in those states and they can sit and wait until key dates pass in blue states to make it impossible for such states to redraw congressional maps.

Even in California there's no guarantee it can be done as the change will have to need voter approval in an off-election year.

And, yes, I know that some of my liberal friends will disagree with me. But that stance I would liken to a U.S. president sitting and twiddling his or her thumbs while a massive Russian nuclear missile attack is heading towards us. An attitude that, "Well, we're going to be dead anyway, no sense in taking them with us."

But it is that attidude that encourages an attack." The theory of "Mutually Assured Destruction" only works as a deterrent if the other side doesn't launch. The Republicans have launched.
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DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
I must point out what that article itself states. This is not just about the house, yet the Senate itself. It does little good to get the house, yet not the Senate...

Democrats are grappling with multiple open Senate seats in competitive states ahead of the midterms, when they would need to net four seats to take control of the chamber. Democrats are also defending Michigan and Georgia, two states Trump won in November.

In New Hampshire, Democrats have started to coalesce around Rep. Chris Pappas to replace retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, with Democratic Rep. Maggie Goodlander announcing last week that she wouldn’t run for the Senate.

I suspect it's the Senate is why the Republicans are going after even Colorado. Colorado is a democratic state. Yet it's weak point is the Senate.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@DeWayfarer
It does little good to get the house, yet not the Senate...

A Republican-controlled Senate can't pass anything without consent of what would be a Democratic-controlled House.

More importantly, the Democrats would control the gavel.

If you thought the investigations that occured during Trump's first term once the Dems got the House were something, you haven't seen anything yet!

Epstein
DOGE
DoD
DoS
DoJ
ICE
etc, etc, etc

Those hearings will set the stage for a repudiation of MAGA governance in the two years before the 2028 presidential election.
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@beckyromero Nor could the house do anything without the Senate. You can impeach all you want yet never get anyone out without the Senate. Not even Trump appointed justices which Trump will certainly make.

That is how Trump is getting around the constitution.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@DeWayfarer
You can impeach all you want yet never get anyone out without the Senate.

Getting 2/3 of the Senate is out of the question. And so long as there are 50 GOP senators, he can get his judges through (though that damage has already been done with SCOTUS).

Want to fix the judiciary? When the Dermocrats have a trifecta in 2028, we can EXPAND the Courts.

In the meantime, a Democratic-controlled House can work to build the foundation for 2028.

How do you eat an elephant?
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@beckyromero You are not seeing my point Trump WILL APPOINT MORE JUDGES. That will require Senate approval. Not the house.

Trump wants to get around the constitution.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@DeWayfarer

And you are not seeing MY point.

Trump WILL appoint more judges where there are vacancies.

It will take a massive collapse for the Dems to get the Senate in 2026.

Concentrate on the battle that CAN be won. Not the one that likely CANNOT be won.
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@beckyromero Even that article is talking about the SENATE races. And for a good reason. Yes go nuclear! Go nuclear for both House and Senate. It only takes a majority, four seats, to Stop insane appointments. Heck Republicans did that themselves.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@DeWayfarer

I would not waste resources on the Senate if it causes us to lose the House. Taking backing the House is the more reachable goal. The Senate would be a bonus and achieved only if the Republicans totally collapse.

I want to invade Normandy. You want to go and try to land at Pas-de-Calais.
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@beckyromero what you are proposing is same old politics. Not nuclear.

You would have us still fighting Japan.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@DeWayfarer

"Nuclear" in response to redistricting ... in order to capture the House.

Then, in January 2029, the Senate and the White House, too.

That's when we can do away with the filibuster, expand the Courts and add States. You need the trifecta to do that.
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@beckyromero it's going to take both. Or else Republicans have won.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@DeWayfarer

Remember how to eat the elephant?
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@beckyromero I remember how well that turned out during the first Trump administration. Two impeachments and no prosecutions by the Senate, with a return to office at that.

We need two nuclear bombs. Like Hiroshima and Nagasaki!

Hirohito didn't give up until the second bomb was dropped.

Trumpism is no less fanatical.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@DeWayfarer

Trump is not going to be impeached unless he orders an invasion of Canada or Greenland..
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@beckyromero I'm far more concerned with any more Trump appointed justices.

They can make certain any redistricting will go through. Not Congress which won't do a thing.

Remember the Senate has to pass anything. Including federal justices. Which doesn't go through the House.

The Senate holds more than half the cards. The advantage is the Senate's, not the House.

Remember Roman republics the power was in the Senate as well.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@DeWayfarer
I'm far more concerned with any more Trump appointed justices.

They already control SCOTUS, 6-3.

Remember Roman republics the power was in the Senate as well.

And did that ever change.

[media=https://youtu.be/JkXaj_XzeV0]
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@beckyromero So he appoints even more justices! 🤷🏻‍♂

Heck he might do what Biden refused to do and increase the size of the SCOTUS. It would be a slam in for this Republican Senate.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@DeWayfarer
Heck he might do what Biden refused to do and increase the size of the SCOTUS. It would be a slam in for this Republican Senate.

Remember, legislation to increase the size of the Supreme Court would have to pass both chambers of Congress.
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@beckyromero h̸e̸ s̸t̸i̸l̸l̸ h̸a̸s̸ t̸i̸m̸e̸ t̸o̸ d̸o̸ i̸t̸ t̸h̸e̸n̸.̸ I̸t̸'̸s̸ a̸ R̸e̸p̸u̸b̸l̸i̸c̸a̸n̸ C̸o̸n̸g̸r̸e̸s̸s̸ b̸o̸t̸h̸ w̸a̸y̸s̸ c̸u̸r̸r̸e̸n̸t̸l̸y̸.̸
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@DeWayfarer

🤫 Don't give them any ideas.
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@beckyromero Redacted! 😆