House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has hit a brick wall in his effort to persuade Illinois Democrats to redraw the state’s congressional map, meeting stiff resistance within his own party, Capitol News Illinois reported Wednesday.

Jeffries has been quietly urging leaders in solid-blue states to consider new maps ahead of the 2026 midterms, hoping to counter a wave of Trump-backed GOP redistricting moves in states like Texas, North Carolina and Missouri. In Illinois, however, some Democrats have rejected the idea, according to Capitol News Illinois.

“I think there is next to zero appetite to do it,” one Democratic state House lawmaker told the outlet, while another lawmaker said, “There is no world where I see this happening.” (RELATED: California Dems Call Redistricting ‘Transparent’—But Refuse To Say Who Drew The Map)

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), joins fellow House Democratic leaders and members to rally on the House Steps of the U.S. Capitol on September 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Jeffries made a last-minute push to add redistricting to the agenda before lawmakers adjourn their fall session next week, according to Punchbowl News. However, with the candidate petition filing deadline for the March primary approaching on Nov. 3, lawmakers would need to either delay the primary or rewrite ballot rules, the outlet reported.

Another roadblock is opposition from the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, which worries a new map could dilute minority voting power by spreading Black voters across more districts.

“We’re going to fight back,” Democrat state Sen. Willie Preston told Punchbowl News on Wednesday. “We just won’t do so at the expense of our own power.”

Jeffries’ office did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who said in August that redrawing the state’s congressional maps was “on the table,” appeared more noncommittal this week. He stated that Democrats shouldn’t have to “sit on the sidelines,” but added that any redistricting decision is “really up to the legislature,” Capitol News Illinois reported.

The Illinois governor had previously pledged to veto any partisan maps and even had campaigned on amending the state’s constitution to create an independent redistricting commission.