DAILY CALLER: DAVID BOSSIE: GOP Governors Must Follow Trump’s Lead On Census And Redistricting

From the day President Donald Trump came down the golden escalator in Trump Tower to launch his first presidential campaign in 2015, he’s been teaching his fellow Republicans how to “fight, fight, fight” and call out the radical left for things they’ve been getting away with in plain sight for decades. In politics, choosing bold leadership over the path of least resistance is seldom an easy decision, but when it comes to saving America, shirking responsibilities is not an option. That’s why Trump is taking our horribly flawed census and inaccurate reapportionment data head on.

The president has called for a new census because illegal immigrants shouldn’t be counted. This is simply a matter of Trumpian common sense, even if it’s hard for the left to swallow. By counting illegals in the census, American citizens aren’t receiving the congressional representation they deserve, and this must change. All governors regardless of political party should push for an accurate census so they can best serve their constituents. American citizens and those in the country legally — the hardworking taxpayers who constitute the backbone of our country — must always be prioritized.

However, due to the radicalization of the Democratic Party, Trump-hating blue state governors will never adopt the concept of putting America first, so it’s Republican governors who must stand tall and do the right thing. The right thing is to follow Trump’s lead and join the chorus of those who want a new census that reflects the actual population of those living in the United States of America legally.

Simultaneously, GOP governors must reexamine their congressional map and update it immediately if it doesn’t accurately reflect their state. For as long as I can remember, Democrats in deep blue states have been maximizing their representation in Congress by using raw political power in the redistricting process. The left realized long ago that in order to achieve political objectives, every tool in the toolbox must be deployed. Now, it’s time for Republican governors to join Trump and fight back in the all-important effort to save America.

As we head into the 2026 midterm election season, Republicans hold a razor thin 220 – 215 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats sense an opening and are scheming to exploit the situation by using every instrument at their disposal. In President Trump’s first term, the left relied on the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax to try to slow him down. This time, it’s by gerrymandering already gerrymandered states that they control.

Look no further than unhinged California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who seeks to redraw California’s massive congressional map to negate the new map in Texas. If Democrats win the majority in the U.S. House then Trump’s America First agenda will grind to a halt on Capitol Hill, and impeachment proceedings will begin as soon as left-wing New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries is handed the gavel. Those in positions of power must not allow it to happen. Strong resolve is needed to protect our constitutional republic right now.

To fully understand what the Democrats are doing, take the deep blue state of Maryland, for example. Just 25 years ago, the Old Line State had four Democrats and four Republicans making up its congressional delegation. Fast-forward to today, and the ratio is seven Democrats to one Republican, and now far left Gov. Wes Moore is trying to get rid of conservative champion and Republican Rep. Andy Harris and the last red district in Maryland. You see, for the left, it’s never enough.

Solid red state governors like Jim Pillen in Nebraska must realize what’s going on before it’s too late and act. Trump carried Nebraska with a commanding 60 percent of the vote in the last election, and yet Republicans have to worry every two years about holding onto the Cornhusker State’s second congressional district. This simply should not happen. Nebraska should have three safe Republican seats in Congress, full stop. Just look at the deep blue Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for example, the mirror opposite of Nebraska. Former Vice President Kamala Harris won 61 percent of the vote there in 2024, but, low and behold, Republicans have no chance of ever winning a single congressional seat, because Democrats have made it an impossibility in the Bay State.

Furthermore, purple states with Republican governors like New Hampshire should not have two Democrats in Congress and zero Republicans. Kamala Harris carried New Hampshire by just 23,000 votes, so Republicans are badly shortchanged by their current congressional map. Gov. Kelly Ayotte should reconsider her position so that New Hampshire’s map accurately represents the will of her constituents.

Gov. Joe Lombardo in the battleground state of Nevada should also join the fight. Right now, only one of the Silver State’s four districts has a Republican House member, even though Trump carried the state by 46,000 votes in 2024. And it should go without saying that more red states with Republican governors – like Florida, Ohio, Missouri, and Indiana to name a few – must move forward with strengthening their congressional maps to confront the growing threat of the radical left.

Whether we choose to see it or not, these are not normal times. It starts with fixing the inaccurate census and not allowing illegal immigrants and flawed congressional maps to dictate the lives of patriotic American citizens who pay the freight. Bold action is required without delay.

David N. Bossie is president of Citizens United. He served as deputy campaign manager for Donald J. Trump for President in 2016.