Texas State Representative Brian Harrison appeared on CNN expecting to defend Republican redistricting efforts. What he got instead was a live fact-check that left him visibly frustrated.
During an interview Monday night on The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Harrison claimed that media outlets, including CNN, have ignored gerrymandering by Democrats while criticizing Republicans for doing the same.
“I don’t know of any, just about any major media, CNN included, that dragged Governor Pritzker on TV, and asked him to justify the gerrymandering in his state,” Harrison said. “Or California, where I’m looking at right now, Republicans have 40 percent of the vote in California, but they only give 17 percent of their seats to Republicans. Same thing in New York.”
Collins immediately challenged his claim.
“I heard you say this earlier, so I looked this up,” Collins said. “We’ve written many articles about it, and also it’s been talked about on TV. Listen to this.”
She then played a series of clips from CNN broadcasts showing the network reporting on Democratic-led gerrymandering in Illinois, Oregon, and Maryland.
Anderson Cooper said, “In states like Illinois, Oregon, Maryland, Democrats are also engaged in gerrymandering congressional districts.” CNN Washington Bureau Chief David Chalian added, “Democrats have really tried to put Republicans in difficult places, particularly in downstate Illinois.” Another clip featured correspondent Brian Todd noting that Representative Adam Kinzinger’s district was being redrawn.
“I just want to be clear, we have covered it when Democrats gerrymander as well, sir,” Collins said.
Harrison was clearly rattled. Rather than acknowledge the evidence, he brushed it off and attacked the network again.
“I’m incredibly flattered the amount of time CNN must have spent fact-checking what I said earlier today, to come up with those clips,” he said. “But if those are the best clips you can find, then my points stand.”
He insisted that what Texas Republicans are doing is legal and constitutional. He also pivoted to accusing Democrats of hypocrisy, saying their outrage is not about gerrymandering itself, but about Republicans doing it.
“These Democrats, my Democrat colleagues that fled the state, to go hide behind Governor Pritzker, they’re not mad that states are engaging in redistricting to maximize partisan political advantage,” Harrison said. “They’re mad that a Republican state is stepping up and doing it.”
Collins calmly pushed back. “Governor Abbott’s not here right now. I’m not questioning him about it. Obviously, we’d love to have him on to talk about this,” she said. “But you’re here talking about it. We’re still covering it, is the point.”
Harrison continued to repeat “yes” but offered no further defense for his earlier claim.
In the end, Harrison’s argument that CNN had ignored Democratic gerrymandering fell apart on live television. The facts were clear, and Collins had the footage to prove it.
Watch the full interview below from CNN.
