Stephen Wolf
@stephenwolf.bsky.social
Contributor @the-downballot.com.
Democracy, voting rights, redistricting, and maps.
Democracy, voting rights, redistricting, and maps.
Yikes, somehow my "require alt text" setting got reset. Here's that image with it included
November 10, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Yikes, somehow my "require alt text" setting got reset. Here's that image with it included
Maryland's 2012 congressional map looked obscene largely because Hoyer, Sarbanes, & Ruppersberger wanted key places in their seats, not maximal partisan advantage. Dems could've drawn a neater 8-0 map.
A good case for why you can't judge a gerrymander by shape alone www.dailykos.com/stories/2016...
A good case for why you can't judge a gerrymander by shape alone www.dailykos.com/stories/2016...
November 10, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Maryland's 2012 congressional map looked obscene largely because Hoyer, Sarbanes, & Ruppersberger wanted key places in their seats, not maximal partisan advantage. Dems could've drawn a neater 8-0 map.
A good case for why you can't judge a gerrymander by shape alone www.dailykos.com/stories/2016...
A good case for why you can't judge a gerrymander by shape alone www.dailykos.com/stories/2016...
They are saying it out loud
Ed Martin seemed to explicitly link the pardons to his “No MAGA left behind” mantra—tweeting the news in reply to a post that said exactly that.
In addition to his role as pardon attorney, Martin leads the Weaponization Working Group, which probes alleged “politicization” of the Justice Department.
In addition to his role as pardon attorney, Martin leads the Weaponization Working Group, which probes alleged “politicization” of the Justice Department.
November 10, 2025 at 1:17 PM
They are saying it out loud
That symbolism matters though
Trump’s 2020 election co-conspirators can still face state-level prosecutions, but his pardoning of them them and many other convicted Republican politicians sends a clear signal:
Republicans will not face federal prosecution for corruption or political crimes so long as they please Trump
Republicans will not face federal prosecution for corruption or political crimes so long as they please Trump
The pardons are primarily symbolic: No one on the list has been charged with federal crimes, and Trump can't pardon those facing state charges in GA, AZ, NV and WI.
But it's another effort by Trump to recast the history of his bid to seize a second term in 2020. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
But it's another effort by Trump to recast the history of his bid to seize a second term in 2020. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 10, 2025 at 12:59 PM
That symbolism matters though
Trump’s 2020 election co-conspirators can still face state-level prosecutions, but his pardoning of them them and many other convicted Republican politicians sends a clear signal:
Republicans will not face federal prosecution for corruption or political crimes so long as they please Trump
Republicans will not face federal prosecution for corruption or political crimes so long as they please Trump
The pardons are primarily symbolic: No one on the list has been charged with federal crimes, and Trump can't pardon those facing state charges in GA, AZ, NV and WI.
But it's another effort by Trump to recast the history of his bid to seize a second term in 2020. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
But it's another effort by Trump to recast the history of his bid to seize a second term in 2020. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 10, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Trump’s 2020 election co-conspirators can still face state-level prosecutions, but his pardoning of them them and many other convicted Republican politicians sends a clear signal:
Republicans will not face federal prosecution for corruption or political crimes so long as they please Trump
Republicans will not face federal prosecution for corruption or political crimes so long as they please Trump
I know, and the OP noted that in the thread. The point is that Trump is back in power after facing no consequences, and he’s using that power to facilitate lawlessness
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I know, and the OP noted that in the thread. The point is that Trump is back in power after facing no consequences, and he’s using that power to facilitate lawlessness
Georgia Dems also win several state legislative seats in both chambers that Trump had won by more than 20 points (the darkest red on the maps on the left in this thread).
They even won a few House seats that Trump had won by more than 30 points
They even won a few House seats that Trump had won by more than 30 points
Dems won Georgia’s Public Service Commission elections by 25-point landslides—their largest for any office since 1998—and improved over 2024 everywhere.
These maps compare results by state House district for:
2024 president (left) - 96-84 Trump majority
2025 PSC seat 3 (right) - 115-65 Dem majority
These maps compare results by state House district for:
2024 president (left) - 96-84 Trump majority
2025 PSC seat 3 (right) - 115-65 Dem majority
November 9, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Georgia Dems also win several state legislative seats in both chambers that Trump had won by more than 20 points (the darkest red on the maps on the left in this thread).
They even won a few House seats that Trump had won by more than 30 points
They even won a few House seats that Trump had won by more than 30 points
Republican gerrymandering may have cost Democrats control of the Virginia House in 2021, 2017, and maybe even 2007, with significant effects on public policy and the ideological composition of Virginia’s judiciary
November 9, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Republican gerrymandering may have cost Democrats control of the Virginia House in 2021, 2017, and maybe even 2007, with significant effects on public policy and the ideological composition of Virginia’s judiciary