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May 11, 2026

Alabama Governor Drops Election BOMBSHELL As Redistricting Scheme Escalates

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announces bill to create new primary elections for certain districts that she and Republicans are trying to redistrict in which have already been ruled discriminatory against Black voters. John Iadarola and Jayar Jackson break it down on The Damage Report.
  • 6 minutes
After already redrawing the congressional maps in their favor, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation that would set up new, totally new primary elections if the courts allow Republicans to change their congressional and state Senate maps. So they've got this little backup plan going. Alabama's primaries are currently set to take place under its current maps on May [00:00:19] 19th, so in a little bit more than one week. But the legislation that Republican controlled legislature approved on Friday gives Ivey the ability to schedule separate special primary elections. affected districts, if redrawn maps are put into place, Ivy said, Alabama knows our state, our people, and our districts best. And by Alabama, she means those who are currently [00:00:40] in power who want to make sure that they're always the ones in power and those that are out of power never have a chance of gaining any power. That's what that means. You'll notice they always talk about the people on the right when doing this. They never, ever, ever, ever, ever put it to the people for a vote. Weird that, but anyway, Here's where we are when [00:00:59] it comes to overall redistricting. As of May 2026, four states had congressional district maps that were subject to change before the 2026 election. Eight states, California, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah, had new congressional maps. Virginia's new map was blocked from certification by court order, though the ruling could be appealed. [00:01:18] And three states had congressional maps that were subject to change due to litigation. Before 2025, only two states had conducted voluntary mid-decade redistricting. since 1970. Obviously, we are in radical times, something obviously has to be done. But as of right now, the Republicans [00:01:34] like it. They think that they can rig themselves into permanent majority status. We'll have to see about that. And importantly, the Democrats, whether it ends up being allowed by courts or not, they always go to the people. They always let the people weigh in and the people support [00:01:49] what they're doing. The Republicans don't. And also the Republicans just generally, even if the courts rule against them, they just ignore the courts. Maybe that's something that Democrats should get in the habit of doing. But that said, with the recent developments, particularly in Virginia, you might be getting a little bit angsty about the midterms. Here is Harry Enton [00:02:07] to break down the Democrats chances. We can best see this in terms of what we think Democrats will need to win the National House vote by in order to win control come November. Under the current lines, what we'd essentially think is they'd have to win the National House popular vote by less than a point. Basically, you'll win the National House vote. And then you [00:02:27] win control of the US House. That's what we would think under the current lines. But under the redistricting lines, right, the redistricted lines, well now with Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, the Supreme Court ruling, we think that Democrats would have to win the National House vote by let's say between three and four points in order to win House control come November. But there [00:02:47] is good news for Democrats and that is you see this three to four point margin right here. And what do they lead right now by in the National House vote polls? Well, their average lead. Well, it's about six points, which you don't have to be a mathematical genius to know that [00:03:03] six points is significantly wider than, well, three to four points. ah So look, I think that should make people feel a little bit better about it. Only so much, it sucks to see what's happening and what's being allowed to happen around the country and obviously something [00:03:21] needs to change. Now, we know that Virginia is probably going to appeal the decision. They can appeal to the Supreme Court, which I mean based on the merits of the case and what the Supreme Court has already allowed like in Louisiana. It would be maddeningly partisan for them [00:03:37] to allow the Republicans to in a racist fashion redistrict however they want. And not allow Virginia to do it even after they got the consent of the voters. But that's the Supreme Court, Jayar. I bet they would be perfectly comfortable weighing in in that partisan fashion. But what [00:03:53] do you make of all that? Yeah, and then no ways of having to answer for this. I've said this many times, things like the Supreme Court where they have There's no term limits, there's no elections for whatever, once you're on, you're on until you leave or die. It's supposed to [00:04:08] be something where it allowed people to avoid any of the partisanship. Now, it's allowed as a shield for these folks to have their partisanship and not be held accountable for it at all. So then after it happens and after everyone argues around the basis for these decisions, [00:04:24] for them to thumb their nose at us and go, whatever, who cares? I'm not going to talk to you. It's like above, any responsibility to the American people who obviously are up in arms about this whole thing. Which maybe has led to that whole difference in the plus six ah that they predict [00:04:40] the Democrats will have, which is still covered. But if we can understand if Harry Inton has that information, I'm pretty sure these fascists that are looking to do anything they can also have that kind of information. And this is not the only thing they're going to do. As you mentioned earlier, we know that things like them sending out folks to intimidate people [00:04:56] at polling locations. I'm willing to believe that they'll go as far as to eliminating people's ballots even afterwards. I mean, they're doing it in middle of it already just through this semi official way with all these governors of these conservative states doing anything they want and calling it the American people's will. They just talk, bro. So the action among [00:05:15] the response to it has to be as direct and honestly as radical as the action that they're going against this. Or else you're just losing some ground in any kind of way for the whole purpose of having some kind of moral high ground when you already got it. Their argument's been won. They just don't care about the logic behind their argument being won. They're anti-American, [00:05:33] it's literally the definition of it. Yeah, no, 100%. And again, that's why I point out to Mockett, they always pretend that this has anything to do with the people when all of it is designed to help fix the problem fundamentally, which is that they can't convince the people to actually [00:05:49] vote for them. And they've had a problem doing that for decades now at this point. It has always been tough for the Republicans to get people to genuinely support them. So they have to rig things. You know what TYT has always been about? Taking on the corrupt, establishment. For us, it's the corporate media. We've been fighting that fight for over 20 years. For [00:06:06] the cell phone industry, it's the same story. A handful of massive corporations ripping you off. That's why we're partnering with Noble Mobile. They're the only wireless company with the same mission as ours, to fight back. Their Noble plan offers unlimited data for just $50 a month. But here's the best part, for any data that you don't use, you get cash back. 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The Damage Report: May 11, 2026

Hosts: John Iadarola   Guests: Jayar Jackson