Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) joked Tuesday that a “kindergarten class” drew his state’s district map after comedian Stephen Colbert called the map “crazy.”
“If you’re considering doing a little more redrawing in Illinois, you already have some crazy districts in Illinois. Take a look at this — look at — look at 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 while holding up a map of Illinois and its congressional districts, in a clip highlighted by Mediaite.
“And look at — look at — look at this one kind of goes, ‘whoop’ up there. It’s like the stinger on a scorpion down here. Is this common for all states to do?” the comedian added on his CBS show.
“We handed it over to a kindergarten class and let them decide,” Pritzker responded.
Pritzker’s comments come amid a heated redistricting battle in Texas between Democrats and Republicans. The Illinois governor said Sunday that his state would protect Texas Democrats who fled to the Prairie State due to GOP efforts to redraw congressional maps in the Lone Star State.
“They’re here in Illinois. We’re going to do everything we can to protect every single one of them and make sure that — ’cause we know they’re doing the right thing, we know that they’re following the law,” Pritzker said to reporters Sunday.
Pritzker also accused President Trump of attempting to “steal” congressional seats from the people during his Colbert appearance.
“Donald Trump is trying to steal five seats from the people — frankly, of the country, not just the people of Texas — and disenfranchise people,” Pritzker said.
