Political hypocrisy isn’t rare in Washington—but few reversals are as brazen as this one. A politician doesn’t just shift positions quietly; he hosts a lavish fundraiser celebrating the very thing he once branded an existential threat to democracy.
For years, prominent Democrats turned gerrymandering into a moral crusade, labeling partisan redistricting not merely bad policy but a direct threat to democratic governance. They founded organizations, delivered speeches about voters choosing representatives rather than being chosen by others, and raised enormous sums to “fix” the system.
Now, that same group is preparing for an aggressive campaign of gerrymandering ahead of the 2028 election. Former President Barack Obama will headline a Democratic fundraiser on Martha’s Vineyard next month, as party leaders ramp up efforts to redraw congressional districts in states already under Democratic control.
The August 31 event, hosted by former Attorney General Eric Holder and organized by the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), will feature “dinner and a discussion” with Obama. The NDRC, launched by Obama and Holder in 2017 with a mission to eliminate gerrymandering, is now funding the very practice it once denounced.
Democratic officials have identified New York, Maryland, Virginia, Illinois, and potentially California as targets for aggressive redistricting—states that are currently Democratic strongholds. The goal is not leveling playing fields but squeezing out any remaining Republican representation and locking in Democratic dominance through 2030.
This irony is stark: Obama and Holder founded the NDRC with a clear message that gerrymandering was wrong and must be stopped. Their early efforts included hosting political fundraisers to combat partisan map-drawing. Now, NDRC President John Bisognano states: “The race by Republicans to gerrymander is not over—and between potential redraws and the November election, the 2028 redistricting fight is already underway.”
When Republicans pursued new maps in Texas, Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina, Democrats labeled it an existential crisis for American governance. Now, they are running the identical playbook.
The fundraiser takes place on Martha’s Vineyard, where median home prices approached $1.7 million in 2025, with average single-family homes selling for around $2.6 million. Obama has deep ties to the island, having stayed at Blue Heron Farm—a Chilmark estate that sold for $37 million last year. The NDRC reportedly raised approximately $1.5 million in a 2023 fundraiser and hosted a similar event on the same island headlined by Nancy Pelosi.
These are the people deciding how your congressional district is drawn: wealthy donors dining on one of America’s most exclusive islands, financing redistricting efforts in districts they would likely never visit.
The rules Obama championed were never meant to apply equally. They were a cudgel, useful when convenient and discarded the moment political calculations shifted.
