GEOFF BENNETT: Indiana could soon become the# next major battleground over redistricting,## as Vice President J.D.

Vance met with the# state's governor and legislative leaders## to discuss ways to strengthen the GOP's# House majority ahead of the 2026 midterms.

The move follows efforts by Texas Republicans# to redraw congressional maps in their favor,## a strategy that sparked threats# of retaliation from Democratic## leaders in blue states like New York# and California.

And, in response,## a handful of GOP lawmakers from those states# are now calling for a redistricting cease-fire.

Congressman Mike Lawler of New York is one# of those Republicans.

And he joins us now.

Thanks for being with us.

REP. MIKE LAWLER (R-NY): Thanks for having me.

GEOFF BENNETT: So you have largely backed# President Trump's agenda.. this Texas redistricting plan, which he supports.# What about it, do you believe, crosses the line?

REP. MIKE LAWLER: Well, this is an issue# that has been going on for decades,## obviously, the gerrymandering of our# congressional maps in red states and blue states.

And when you look at the fact that last November# only 35 seats were decided by five points or less,## that tells you everything you need to know about# the fact that most seats are not competitive.

They## are solely won or lost based on the primary.

And# so, from my vantage point, coming from a district## that has 80,000 more Democrats than Republicans,# I obviously am very focused on a general election.

And I think the reality is our country would# be better served and Congress would be better## served if more seats were competitive.

So this# effort that we have seen -- and, by the way,## it didn't just start with Texas.

New York# did mid-decade redistricting last year.## They went to court and forced a# new map and took the opportunity## to redraw the lines and pick# up three seats in the process.

So this idea somehow that this just started with# Texas is a joke, especially when you look at the## fact that we just had a Supreme Court race in# Wisconsin that was basically run on the idea## that there would be redistricting in Wisconsin.# So this is mutually assured destruction.

We're## seeing Democrats and Republicans seek to gain# advantage through the redistricting process.

And, from my perspective, it's wrong.

And# that's why I'm introducing legislation to## ban gerrymandering nationwide.# This is not how the process## should be fought out.

We should have competitive# districts based on communities of interest, and## ultimately the voters, not the politicians,# should decide who is in the majority.

GEOFF BENNETT: And there is the question of,## should Congress set national redistricting# standards, or does that infr.. upon states' rights?

How do you draw# that line?

Where do you draw that line?

REP. MIKE LAWLER: Unfortunately, what# we have seen in states like Illinois,## where they redistricted# Republicans down to three seats,## it is not a fair process.

And you look at a state# like Massachusetts, 9-0 in favor of the Democrats.

That is not how this process should be won# or lost in terms of control of Congress.## It shouldn't be boiled down to how the map# is drawn.

It should be won or lost based on## the issues, based on the choices presented# to the voters.

So I fundamentally believe,## unfortunately, the states have used the# redistricting process as a bludgeon.

And both sides are guilty of this.

There is no# question about that.

So, from my vantage point,## banning gerrymandering nationwide is# something that we should undertake.

GEOFF BENNETT: How much of your opposition# is driven by political self-interest,## given that your seat could be at risk# if Governor Kathy Hochul moves forward## with her threat to retaliate and redraw the map?

REP. MIKE LAWLER: I'm not concerned about my# individual race.

I have won three times in 2-1## Democratic districts precisely because I know# how to present the case to my constituents.

There's 80,000 more Democrats in my district# than Republicans.

If you can't beat me based## on the current map, that speaks volumes# to your message.

But I have been wholly## consistent in this fight for years.

When I ran# for the New York State Assembly back in 2020,## I was very outspoken against gerrymandering# and what the Democrats were trying to do## at the time to weaken the Independent# Redistricting Commission in New York.

I was executive director of the state# Republican Party back in 2013 when we## passed through the state legislature# a constitutional amendment that then## went to the voters and was ratified to# create the Independent Redistricting## Commission and ban gerrymandering.

So# I have been wholly consistent in this.

I voted against New York's maps in# 2022 as a member of the state Assembly## long before I decided to run for Congress# because those maps were wrong.

They violated## the state constitution, and the Court# of Appeals upheld that.

So this has## been my position for a very long time.

And# I fundamentally believe it's the right one.

GEOFF BENNETT: New York Republican# Congressman Mike Lawler,## thanks again for being with us.

We appreciate it.

REP. MIKE LAWLER: Thank you.