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Colbert confronts Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker with map of gerrymandered Illinois

Late-night host Stephen Colbert pressed Gov. JB Pritzker on the gerrymandered sections of Illinois on Tuesday while discussing the GOP's efforts to redistrict Texas.

Late-night host Stephen Colbert confronted Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker with gerrymandered maps of Illinois congressional districts on Tuesday amid Texas Republicans' efforts to redraw the state's congressional map.

"If you are considering doing a little more redrawing in Illinois, you already have some crazy districts in Illinois. Take a look at this. Look at [district] 17 here. It does that, then it comes up here, and it sneaks around there and goes all the way up here and then goes right over there like that," Colbert said as he gestured, describing the districts. "Is this common for all states to do?"

Texas House Republicans have introduced a redistricting proposal that could net them five new GOP seats. The draft congressional map, which is likely to change before approval by both state legislative chambers, aims to redraw district lines to include more Republican-leaning areas in Democratic strongholds like Dallas and Houston. The move has prompted Texas Democrats to leave the state in order to halt the vote,  and Pritzker put himself at the center of the national discussion by offering refuge in Illinois.

Pritzker joked that a kindergarten class drew the map, and called it his independent commission.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker joined late-night host Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, who pressed the governor on the gerrymandered sections of his state. (Colbert)

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The comedian pulled up another map that moved upward sharply and joked, "It’s like a stinger on a scorpion." 

"So because all states to a certain extent do this, why is what Texas [is] doing particularly egregious in this case?" Colbert followed up. 

Pritzker, who could have 2028 White House aspirations, pivoted to attacking Texas Republicans redrawing maps "at the behest of Donald Trump" and "doing it mid-decade."

"That is extraordinarily rare," Pritzker claimed. "And the way they are doing it is taking voting rights away from Black and Brown people. They are literally obliterating districts that were written according to the Voting Rights Act. So this is going to end up in court if they are actually able to do it."

Pritzker said the Texas House Democrats were in Illinois to stop the GOP efforts and protect the country.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks at the office of The Center for American Progress (CAP) Action Fund on March 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Earlier in the discussion, Colbert asked Pritzker if he would consider doing what California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed, a redistricting effort in his state that would only trigger if the Texas redistricting plan goes through.

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"It’s possible, and I’ve said everything is on the table. We’ve got to fight fire with fire. They frankly tossed the rulebook out, and they are just acting in [an] unconstitutional fashion and what we are going to have to do is whatever it takes to preserve democracy," Pritzker said. 

Colbert also asked Pritzker about Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, requesting the FBI's help in locating and arresting the Democratic Texas lawmakers.

The liberal late-night host wondered if the FBI could legally do that. 

Texas Democrats stood next to Illinois lawmakers on Aug. 4, 2025, to oppose redistricting measures proposed by Texas Republicans. (Fox News)

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"They have not broken any federal law, and frankly, in the state of Illinois we are not going to let them get taken away. We are going to protect the Texas House Democrats," Pritzker said.

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Fox News' Amanda Macias contributed to this report.