New York Governor Kathy Hochul isn’t just upset over Texas Republicans’ new congressional map — she’s going full “call to arms” mode, declaring war on Republicans and threatening to gerrymander New York in retaliation.
In a speech that sounded more like a campaign rally than a gubernatorial press conference, Hochul raged against President Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, calling Abbott a “co-conspirator” in what she labeled a “legal insurrection.” Her words: “Now what Texas and Republican states are doing at the direction of Donald Trump, I say, is nothing short of a legal insurrection against our capital.”
Hochul: What Texas is doing is a “legal insurrection” and must be stopped. Also, New York needs to do the exact same thing:
“All’s fair in love and war.” https://t.co/2SVObcfEzY pic.twitter.com/9296eCZddJ
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) August 4, 2025
Translation: Texas is redrawing its congressional maps, something both parties have done for decades, but since Republicans are doing it, it’s now “insurrection.”
And Hochul made clear she isn’t bluffing about fighting back. “If Republicans are willing to rewrite these rules to give themselves an advantage, then they’re leaving us no choice. We must do the same… There’s a phrase you have to fight fire with fire,” she said. Then she dropped the gloves entirely: “This is a war. We are at war. That’s why the gloves are off, and I say, bring it on.”
JUST IN: New York Governor Kathy Hochul DECLARES WAR on Republican states via redistricting following Texas’ plans to add more GOP seats before 2026.
“This is a WAR. We are at WAR. That’s why – the gloves are off, and I say, BRING IT ON!”
Hochul wants to amend the NY… pic.twitter.com/uDSKKMqb7D
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 4, 2025
Republicans fired back. Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles slammed Hochul’s rhetoric, saying Democrats are “leading New Yorkers into peril by pushing for political ‘war.’ That’s how desperately Democrats crave big government tyranny and migrants replacing us.”
Meanwhile, in Texas, the fight that triggered Hochul’s meltdown is only intensifying. Republicans currently hold 25 of Texas’ 38 congressional seats, but the new map — unveiled by GOP state Rep. Todd Hunter — could put Democrats on defense in districts across Austin, Dallas, Houston, and South Texas. Governor Abbott isn’t letting Democrats off the hook for fleeing the state to block the vote, calling them “derelict” and warning that they could face expulsion from the Texas House and even felony charges.
Democrats are leading New Yorkers into peril by pushing for political ‘war.’ That’s how desperately Democrats crave big government tyranny and migrants replacing us. https://t.co/edScB1j7Pu
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) August 4, 2025
Abbott’s message was blunt: “Real Texans do not run from a fight.”
And of course, because no political fight is complete without him, California Governor Gavin Newsom chimed in, accusing Abbott of “threatening to remove democratically elected officials… to rig an election for Donald Trump.”
The irony writes itself: Democrats scream “authoritarianism!” when Republicans play by the rules — then vow to rewrite their own to make sure they win. Want to talk about democracy being under attack? Look at who’s declaring “war” on the process.
