Aimee rushes into her senate office.
Aimee: My god, Denise! I need a nap after that Transportation Committee hearing!
Denise: Super exciting, right?
Aimee: Verbal melatonin. I thought I might genuinely fall asleep and I was already brainstorming ways to blackmail a doctor into diagnosing me with narcolepsy so I had some sort of excuse when it went viral on Twitter.
Denise: Well, you are going to have to delay your nap a bit. We do have company…
Aimee: I’ve got an hour until I have to be on the floor to vote. I’m sure Gwen and Lynette and Alec will understand if I cancel the afternoon gossip sesh. Maybe we can go out and have drinks after work. I sure could use a drink or two.
Denise: It’s not them. There are developments back home you need to tend to.
Aimee: Has something happened that I’m not aware of?
Denise: Well, while you were training for your space trip, the legislature announced… you’ll find out soon enough.
Aimee: What? It can’t be that bad!
Denise: It’s not good, but I’ll let two off your colleagues talk about it with you.
Aimee: Which colleagues?
Denise: Your fellow congressional Republicans from the great state of Washington.
Aimee: Oh boy.
Denise: Are you willing to see Carolyn?
Aimee: I’m a professional. Our spat is not going to impact my job or my responsibilities to Washington.
Denise: All right, then she and Doug are waiting for you in your personal office.
Aimee: Oh, joy.
Denise: I’m right here, just holler if you need protection.
Aimee: I don’t think they’re going to jump me.
Denise: I’m just saying! I’m ready, willing and able to defend you.
Aimee: Got it. Glad to have you as the Kevin Costner to my Whitney Houston.
Denise: I will always love you.
Aimee: I don’t think it was Kevin singing that song in The Bodyguard, was it?
Denise: Just go. You’ve picked on me enough for today.
Aimee: All right, off to face a nightmare.
Aimee walks into her office.
Carolyn: Aimee, it’s been too long!
Aimee: I know you miss me, Carolyn. I do miss you as well.
Doug: And Doug is also here!
Aimee: Yes, of course. Always happy to see you, Doug.
Doug: You barely seemed aware I was in the room.
Carolyn: I think it’s just a bit of an awkward situation for her.
Doug: Why? Have I missed something? Does she think we’re jealous of her big promotion?
Carolyn: We had a spat.
Doug: You two? You’ve been inseparable since I got to Congress, at least!
Carolyn: Well, thanks to these Democrats, we were bound to get split up in this Congress regardless. No reason to have delayed it.
Aimee: Excuse me?
Carolyn: The Washington legislature has announced they’re redrawing our congressional map to get back at Florida for redrawing theirs. So, they’re looking at ways to eliminate Doug and my’s districts and put us in safe Democrat seats.
Doug: My district has been completely obliterated on the map they’ve proposed. It just doesn’t exist anymore. Yakima County’s split in half, the rural counties are mostly all in another district that then gets dragged into Seattle. Without them, I’d be screwed. I don’t even know where I could run. I don’t think it’s even worth trying - Baum won them all by at least fifteen, and I’d probably have to run against Margo! I don’t want to run against Margo.
Carolyn: Mine has been cracked mostly into two halves. They literally cracked Spokane in half and drew a district that spans the entire state. I’d either be running to represent all of Edmonds or part of Seattle.
Doug: They shored up Galloway Lopez, too. Her new district voted for Baum by thirteen points. There won’t be a single Republican in Congress from our state.
Aimee: Well that isn’t right. They already gerrymandered it enough last time! My district went from a marginal Republican district to a district Koobach and Baum both won by seven! This is too much.
Carolyn: It’s ridiculously greedy, too. I was already going to lose! Now they’re trying to make sure I’ve never got a chance to get back in. Sickos.
Doug: I wasn’t even sure I was going to run to begin with.
Carolyn: Ah! I could’ve taken your seat and they’ve stolen that from me! The bastards!
Aimee: It hasn’t passed yet, has it? If it has, I sure haven’t heard anything about it.
Carolyn: It hasn’t passed. I don’t think there’s a thing we can do, but it hasn’t passed.
Aimee: Why can’t we? We’re in Congress!
Carolyn: Congress is critically not the Washington state legislature. And, more importantly, Republicans make up a superminority in the legislature.
Aimee: I know how to help a superminority flex its influence.
Carolyn: By working with the supermajority and then claiming victory?
Aimee: Don’t get testy with me.
Doug: I’m starting to see how the friendship has fractured.
Aimee: Doug, we don’t need to get into that.
Doug: I’m the one being forced to endure it. I didn’t ask, but my eyes do work, and I can’t help but comment on what I see.
Aimee: Anyway, this is wrong, and voters in Washington should be the ones to pick their representatives - not the other way around.
Carolyn: I agree. I still don’t know what we’re going to do about it.
Aimee: Give me time. I have a semblance of a plan.
Doug: Where have I heard that before?
Carolyn: Our president is doing a fantastic job, I won’t hear otherwise! You’re supposed to be on our team!
Doug: I’m on the team of America.
Aimee: Right on, Doug! You should keep up the fight. Don’t give in!
Doug: I don’t plan on it! At least, not until January 3, 2027!
Aimee: We’re gonna beat this map. This is not fair. No gerrymandering our Washington!
Carolyn: I wish I had the confidence you have.
Aimee: I’m very persuasive.
Carolyn: I don’t think it’s “persuasive” to just give in to anything the Democrats want.
Aimee: Oh my god, we’re not going over this again.
Carolyn: Doug, I think it’s time to go before Aimee and I start screaming like Real Housewives.
Doug: I enjoy the Housewives.
Carolyn: You do?
Doug: My wife watches it, sometimes I see it, pretty entertaining stuff. Especially when they’re convinced they can sing. Because, uh, they can’t.
Carolyn: I can sing.
Doug: I know you think so, we went to see Song Sung Blue together when we had that day-long layover in Chicago..
Carolyn: And I sung along beautifully.
Aimee: Thank you for stopping by, guys. I promise, this is going to be top priority for me. I’ll fight this.
Carolyn: I still have my doubts a single thing can be done about it. But I did figure you needed to be briefed on it. It’s a dark day for our state.
Carolyn and Doug leave Aimee’s office.
Denise: Anything of note?
Aimee: Oh, Denise. Where to begin?
Denise: Do you need wine? I can get you wine.
Aimee: I don’t think I should be voting drunk on the Senate floor, appealing as that sounds.
Denise: All right. Then I’ll just lend you a listening ear. Is that a saying? It should be.
Aimee: I don’t think it is, no. But, they came to tell me Washington is planning on mid-decade redistricting to combat Florida’s, and that the Democrats in Washington’s legislature have a map ready that will produce a ten to zero split. No Republicans will be able to win. I don’t think that’s right. But I assume, from what you said ,that you already knew this.
Denise: It’s not great. Though, it might make the state party appreciate you more!
Aimee: Denise! This fight isn’t about me. It’s about respecting the people of Washington. Forty percent of Washingtonians vote Republican on average. To have zero Republicans representing us in the House is egregious. It’s egregious enough as it is, with eight safe Democrat districts and two Republican ones. This would be a betrayal of the voters of Washington. It’s erasing voices!
Denise: It agree, it’s very bad. What are we going to do about it?
Aimee: That’s to figure out later.
Denise: All right, so you don’t know either.
Aimee: Don’t have the slightest clue. But that’s not going to be the case forever. We’re going to spend time brainstorming, we’re going to figure something out. The Washington Republican Party’s not going down without a fight!
Denise: Aren’t they? You seem to be the only one fighting. This plan was announced a week ago and no Republicans in Washington have put forth a realistic plan to stop it. They don’t even seem to be trying to stop it.
Aimee: I just don’t think this is okay.
Denise: Our party did start it.
Aimee: And I opposed it in Florida. I’ll oppose it everywhere.
Denise: You truly are the one member of Congress that’s not a raging hypocrite. You’re a rare breed, Aimee.
Aimee: I try to be true to myself. It’s a shame many of my colleagues do not.
Denise: Well, I’ll brainstorm ideas for how to stop redistricting. I’ll flex the muscle of this office and try and put those peasant state legislators in their place.
Aimee: I don’t think bullying them will do much.
Denise: But it’ll be fun!
Aimee: We need to specifically target members who are on the fence about this. Show them why it’s wrong. Ask their constituents to call them and oppose this. There’s a reason it hasn’t passed yet - they don’t yet have the votes secured. So, let’s make sure they never get them. We need a call to action.
Denise: I don’t envision a “call to action” to Washingtonians resulting in a win for Republicans, but I’ll give it a go.
Aimee: Thanks, Denise. You’re the best!
Denise: There’’s a reason you pay me the big bucks around here.
Later that day…
Aimee: Gosh, what a day.
Dave: Another Transportation Committee hearing get you down?
Aimee: That didn’t help, but gerrymandering is the real cause of this downer mood today.
Victoria: Isn’t it disgusting what they’re doing to our country? Politicians shouldn’t pick voters!
Aimee: I agree. Have you heard what they’re doing in our state?
Victoria: How could Republicans gerrymander Washington?
Aimee: It’s actually your Democrats doing it.
Victoria: That’s not true! You can’t fall for everything you see on Facebook!
Aimee: It’s very much true, and it’s upsetting. The official plan is to draw ten solidly Democratic districts across Washington.
Victoria: Wow, that’s great!
Dave: Didn’t you just -
Victoria: We have to fight back!
Aimee: No!
Victoria: So Democrats should just accept being pushed around by the Republicans? They’re going to draw us out of power if they can!
Aimee: I think that’s also awful. Gerrymandering shouldn’t exist. Independent agencies should draw congressional maps in every state. Politicians shouldn’t have any say in what their district will look like or who their voters will be. We need to ban gerrymandering federally.
Victoria: I would support that. Even if it does mean Republicans getting seats in Washington… which is something that does hurt my heart.
Dave: How are you going to do that?
Aimee: I don’t know! It’s something Decorates have been talking about. Maybe I can work with them. I’m going to use my Democrat friends to stop the Democrats in my home state from contributing to the destruction of democracy. Quaint idea, no?
Dave: I wish you luck. Now, do you want Brussels sprouts or snap peas with dinner tonight?
Aimee: I think snap peas.
Dave: Good choice, ‘cause I’ve already started making them.
The next day…
Aimee: Denise, I’ve got an idea!
Denise: I do, too!
Aimee: Let’s hear it.
Denise: We’re going to feel a lawsuit against the state of Washington.
Aimee: All right. Interesting.
Denise: What’s your plan?
Aimee: We’re going to ban gerrymandering!
Denise: Ha! You say that like it’s so simple!
Aimee: Sixty Democrats who all claim to be morally opposed to gerrymandering. A few Republicans with a conscience. We can get enough votes to pass this.
Denise: The president won’t go for it. He started this redistricting war by calling for Republican-led states to draw Democrats out of office.
Aimee: We’re going to cross that bridge when we get to it.
Denise: Without addressing it now, it just seems like a pipe dream.
Aimee: If I can get a two-thirds majority in both houses, we don’t need his vote. I’m going to loop in a few other senators and we’ll hammer out a bill and get the ball rolling. You can get in contact with a good lawyer and get that lawsuit rolling. We’re gonna tackle this from every angle. We will stop this.
Denise: I haven’t seen you this passionate and determined in some time.
Aimee: I might not be in the House anymore, so I don’t have a horse in this race, per se. But I care deeply about democracy, and I won’t stop until I protect it when it’s in jeopardy.
Denise: What if this all fails?
Aimee: I have a meltdown and end up on TMZ.
Denise: That’s the dream of every senator, ain’t it?
A bit later…
Greg: Aimee, I’ve been told you have something to discuss.
Aimee: Greg, we have to ban gerrymandering,
Geraldine: You don’t believe in easing your way into things, do you?
Aimee: I do not. See, I need support from my party on this. It’s so important. The Democrats back home in Washington are planning to draw out both current Republican representatives we’ve got right now.
Geraldine: That’s terrible.
Greg: But is it really our problem?
Geraldine: I don’t know how I feel about this. But I think I speak for both Greg and myself when I say that we won’t be whipping against this. Everyone will be encouraged to vote how they see fit.
Greg: We’re gonna talk about that later.
Aimee: And in the meantime, I’m going to work to pass this, because it’s the right thing to do.
Greg: You do what you have to do.
The next day, Aimee holds a press conference with Carolyn about Washington’s redistricting.
Lynette: Why are we here?
Alec: Moral support, I think.
Gwen: I sort of missed Carolyn, in a twisted way.
Alec: You?
Gwen I know. Never repeat that to anyone.
Aimee: Everyone, I thank you for being here to discuss this most pressing issue: gerrymandering. I know our nation faces threats and crises that certainly feel more important, but in order to have a functioning democracy, our elections must be fair. And the only way we can assure that is if our congressional districts are drawn by nonpartisan, independent commissions - not career politicians and party loyalists. Bills passed last year in North Carolina and Arizona, in January in Florida and Pennsylvania, and just today in Washington are slaps in the face to the voters. They deserve fair maps, not a map of Florida with three Democratic districts, or a map of Pennsylvania with four Republicans, or a map of Washington with zero Republicans! The people need to be able to elect who they want to represent them, not who politicians want them to be forced to have represent them. It’s time to ban gaming the system. It’s time to ensure integrity in American elections. It’s time to make good on the promise we make to the people of this country, who deserve fairness and the right to elect who they choose. I’ve authored a bill to ban this shameful practice nationwide and mandate maps drawn by independent commissions. In the meantime, I’ve also filed a lawsuit against Washington’s heinous gerrymander, which our supreme court has already agreed to hear. I will fight to stop the rigging of the political process, by whatever means feasible. I now turn this over to my co-sponsor on this bill in the House, Congresswoman Carolyn Mackenzie Roy.
Carolyn: I have never been concerned with gerrymandering during my tenure in office. I find that shameful now, but in the past, it wasn’t something I really saw as an issue. It’s snowballed out of control now, and I do admit: I mostly see things that way because my own district - and the district of my very good friend, Congressman Newbury - has now been dismantled by gerrymandering. I had a compact, Republican-leaning district in the Spokane area that has been stretched across the state, so Democrat voters in Seattle outweigh my longtime constituents and deny them a choice. The map is an abomination, and no one can look at it and feel that it’s fair or that it looks like democracy in action. But I will not go down without a fight. Regardless of the outcome of this bill, and regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit in my home state, I will run for re-election. I won’t be silenced, and I will always be a fighter. Thank you all, and thank you to Senator Ferrera Donahue for her leadership on this issue.
Gwen: So, do we think this is gonna go anywhere?
Alec: No, but let’s let them have their fun. It’s nice to see them back tighter again.
Gwen: Yeah, corruption and the pursuit of this power has always been this country’s guiding force. That won’t be changing anytime soon.
Lynette: I don’t know, I believe in them!
Gwen: Hence why we can confidently say this won’t be going anywhere.
What did you think of this episode of Evergreen Aimee? Let us know in the comments and make sure to read a new episode next week!
