'We gotta play dirty!' Dem warns Trump's 'line in the sand' moment backfired

Source: Raw Story

August 21, 2025 6:14PM ET


A Texas state Democrat revealed on Thursday that President Donald Trump's efforts to help Republicans win the 2026 primary election have already backfired.

Trump's plan involves pressuring Republican-controlled state legislatures to redraw their election maps ahead of the primary election. So far, Texas Republicans have succeeded in their effort. California and New York have said they will match the efforts of Texas Republicans by redrawing their maps as well.

The firestorm between Democrats and Republicans in Texas also seems likely to outlast the second Trump administration, according to Nicole Collier, a Democrat who represents Fort Worth. She joined CNN's "The Lead" to discuss the impact of the redistricting fight.

"Our body is fragile in terms of the collaboration, and I don't think we're going to see further collaboration between the Democrats and Republicans in Texas because this is dividing us," Collier said. "This is dividing us. This is drawing a line in the sand, and people are taking sides. " "I hope that, if we want a nation of unity and working for the greater good, this has got to stop," Collier continued. "But for now, if they're playing dirty, then we've got to play dirty, too!"

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/nicole-collier-2673909230/