Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has sharply criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott and former President Donald Trump over the GOP's redistricting plans in Texas, accusing them of attempting to "cheat" voters and undermine democracy. Pritzker described Abbott as "the joke" and accused Trump of cheating in various aspects of his life, now extending to the electoral process. He praised Democrats who fled Texas to Illinois to prevent the redrawing of congressional maps as "heroes" and pledged to provide them a safe haven, asserting that Texas law does not apply in Illinois and that the FBI has no authority to arrest those visiting the state. Pritzker faced questions regarding Illinois' own redistricting, which has been criticized for heavily favoring Democrats with a 14-3 congressional seat advantage despite Trump winning 44% of the statewide vote in 2024. He dismissed concerns about hypocrisy, calling such criticisms distractions and differentiating Illinois' redistricting from Texas'. Multiple groups have rated Illinois’ congressional maps poorly, describing them as a near-perfect example of flawed redistricting. Pritzker also condemned Texas Republicans' threats to arrest fleeing Democrats and rejected the applicability of Texas law in Illinois. The debate highlights ongoing tensions over redistricting practices and partisan control in both states.