How Political Maps Became Liberal's Weapon plus Blue City with a Red Surge

Summary

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode: How Political Maps Became Liberal's Weapon plus Blue City with a Red Surge
Date: May 23, 2026
Host: Ben Ferguson
Length: ~19 minutes (excluding ads)

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into two major themes shaping American politics today:

1. The weaponization and hypocrisy of gerrymandering, particularly by Democrats in blue states, and the recent pushback from Republicans.
2. The rise of a conservative political insurgency in Los Angeles, with the potential for Republican Spencer Pratt to become LA’s next mayor—a political earthquake that threatens decades of Democratic dominance.

Ben Ferguson delivers his signature blunt, populist commentary, focusing on how Democrats have painted themselves as victims while benefiting from the gerrymandering game, and how voter frustration is driving traditionally blue voters towards red alternatives in LA and beyond.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. How Political Maps Became the Democrats’ Weapon

[03:34 - 12:08]

• Democrats as Gerrymandering “Victims”?
  • Ben calls out Democrats for claiming victimhood while, in his view, mastering gerrymandering for decades.
  • “Democrats have actually been masters of gerrymandering, especially in deep blue states where Republican voters are essentially erased from congressional representation altogether.” – Ben Ferguson [04:25]
• Concrete Examples of One-Party Representation:
  • States like Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Maine cited as having effectively zero Republican congressional representation, despite sizable Republican populations.
  • “That is millions of Americans that have been disenfranchised living in those states that vote Republican.” – Ben Ferguson [05:25]
• The Power Stakes:
  • Congressional maps determine not just representation but also control over committees, investigations, spending, and the national agenda.
• Historical Tactics:
  • Democrats used urban machines, courts, and activist groups to draw lopsided maps destroying legitimate competition.
  • Mention of Illinois, Maryland (with “bizarre” districts), and California as states with engineered Democratic monopolies.
• The Hypocrisy Argument:
  • Claims media and Democrats decry “attacks on democracy” only when Republicans redraw maps, not when Democrats do the same.
  • “If Republicans redraw maps, it’s called an attack on democracy. But when Democrats...it’s called protecting representation in minorities.” – Ben Ferguson [08:10]
• Republican Counterattack:
  • “Republicans are decades late to the game. The difference is Republicans are finally fighting back. And it's about time.” – Ben Ferguson [09:32]
• Why Now?
  • With razor-thin margins in Congress, a few districts can sway the nation's agenda—border security, taxes, investigations, even whether Trump’s policy agenda moves forward.

Notable Quote

• “Let’s not be lectured by the Democrats on fairness while they maintain states with zero Republican representation. Don’t pretend partisan maps are evil only when Republicans are the ones drawing them now.” – Ben Ferguson [11:28]

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2. Blue City with a Red Surge: The LA Mayoral Race

[12:09 - 18:48]

• Setting the Scene:
  • Recap of recent wildfires in LA, water mismanagement, and governmental incompetence eroding public trust.
  • The city’s “liberal radical establishment” faces a possible defeat in a stronghold.
• The Rise of Spencer Pratt:
  • Pratt, known for reality TV, becomes a credible, populist challenger after losing his home to wildfires.
  • “This race has become much bigger than just Los Angeles. It’s also getting a lot of attention. It’s becoming a national warning sign for Democrats who are mismanaging cities with high crime and high poverty and failing schools.” – Ben Ferguson [13:37]
• Why Voters Are Turning:
  • Discontent over homelessness, crime, cost of living, poor leadership, lack of wildfire response, and government apathy are pushing voters away from Democrats—even Democratic voters.
  • “Voters in LA, well, they've had enough...they’re furious over the aftermath of realizing that the people that claimed they were gonna be there to help them rebuild have done anything but…” – Ben Ferguson [15:40]
• Pratt’s Populist Campaign Tone:
  • Running as a direct, anti-establishment populist; utilizes social media, blunt language, and criticizes City Hall and the Democratic establishment.
  • Focuses on quality of life failures—homeless encampments, fentanyl crisis, public safety, urban decline, and high taxes.
• Major Shift in Voter Alliances:
  • Pratt attracting support beyond Republicans—even some frustrated Democrats.
  • “This race is exposing the widening disconnect between progressive activists...and ordinary working-class voters...” – Ben Ferguson [16:50]
• Statewide Ripple Effect:
  • California governor’s race: two out of three leading candidates are now Republicans.
  • “It’s not just LA, it’s literally the entire state they have destroyed. And that’s exactly why the Democratic Party is freaking out right now...” – Ben Ferguson [18:20]

Memorable Moment

• “If a conservative populist-style candidate, very much like Donald Trump, could become competitive in LA, then no Democratic-run city in America is truly safe anymore.” – Ben Ferguson [14:25]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | Highlights | |-----------|------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------| | 03:04 | Episode Begins – Main stories preview | Map wars & LA mayoral race | | 03:35 | Gerrymandering deep dive | Dems accused of hypocrisy and disenfranchising | | 12:09 | LA mayoral race analysis | Populist surge, establishment panic | | 14:25 | Impact of fires on politics | Political fallout, voter frustration | | 16:50 | Working-class voters shifting | Populist movement, crossover Democratic support | | 18:20 | Statewide shift reflected in governor’s race | Republicans rising in California |

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Notable Quotes (with Attribution)

• “Democrats have actually been masters of gerrymandering, especially in deep blue states where Republican voters are essentially erased from congressional representation altogether.”
  — Ben Ferguson [04:25]

• “If Republicans redraw maps, it’s called an attack on democracy. But when Democrats literally implement the same maps, it’s called protecting representation in minorities.”
  — Ben Ferguson [08:10]

• “Let's not be lectured by the Democrats on fairness while they maintain states with zero Republican representation.”
  — Ben Ferguson [11:28]

• “This race has become much bigger than just Los Angeles. It's also getting a lot of attention. It's becoming a national warning sign for Democrats who are mismanaging cities with high crime and high poverty and failing schools.”
  — Ben Ferguson [13:37]

• “If a conservative populist-style candidate, very much like Donald Trump, could become competitive in LA, then no Democratic-run city in America is truly safe anymore.”
  — Ben Ferguson [14:25]

---

Episode Tone and Language

Ben Ferguson’s delivery is unapologetically direct, with a clear conservative, anti-establishment tone. He employs vivid examples and strong rhetorical questions aimed at highlighting perceived Democratic hypocrisy and governmental failure. The content is designed to energize listeners who are dissatisfied with the status quo, especially in traditionally blue regions.

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Summary

This episode of The 47 Morning Update urges conservatives not to accept the narrative that gerrymandering is solely a Republican tool, spotlighting longstanding Democratic practices that have left millions of Republican voters without representation in predominantly blue states. Ben Ferguson argues the playing field is finally evening out as Republicans “fight back.”

He then pivots to Los Angeles, where political frustration after wildfires and ongoing urban decline has fueled the rise of Republican outsider Spencer Pratt. The campaign is framed as a microcosm of a broader populist shift, threatening Democratic monopolies in places they once considered unassailable.

Listeners are left with the message that a political realignment is possible—even in the bluest of territories—when voters feel ignored and betrayed by their leaders.

Transcript

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[Ben Ferguson (Show Announcer)]

You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

[Ben Ferguson]

Good Saturday morning. Nice to have you with us on the 47 Morning Update. And we've got two stories for you. First up, Democrats being called out for the gerrymandering that they've created in this country. And now Republicans are fighting back and winning. Up next, a Republican, Spencer Pratt, may actually become the mayor of la. Democrats, Democrats are losing their minds. So how did they get to this point? We'll give you that as well. It's the 47 Morning Update, and it starts right now.

[Ben Ferguson (Show Announcer)]

Story number one.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yesterday I played for you Kamala Harris and how she wants to completely destroy the fundamentals of this country. She wants to pack the Supreme Court, even kick justice off the Supreme Court when they give rulings she doesn't like. And then she wants to get rid of the Electoral College altogether. Now, you may be asking yourself this question, why all of this is coming because they didn't get their way. Donald Trump won. Conservatives won. And when you hate the other side and you don't respect the law or the wishes of the citizens of this country, well, this is exactly what you would do, especially if you're a communist, a Marxist or a socialist. Stacy Abrams is now coming out explaining why Democrats are so distraught over the SCOTUS ruling against racially gerrymandered districts. She also is upset at the power that the Democratic Party is going to lose. Now, before I play her comments, I just wanna go back and set the stage to how we got to the point where we are right now. Democrats have been acting like they're the victims of gerrymandering for decades, but the reality is that's not true. Democrats have actually been masters of gerrymandering, especially in deep blue states where Republican voters are essentially erased from congressional representation altogether. And if Americans want proof, just look at the states where there are literally zero Republican members of Congress in the U.S. house representing the conservatives in those states right now. States include Connecticut, zero Republicans, Delaware, zero Republicans, Hawaii, zero Republicans in Congress, Massachusetts, zero Republicans in Congress, New Hampshire, another zero, Rhode island, zero, Vermont, zero. And effectively, Maine has no Republican representation in Congress whatsoever. Now, if you just think about that for a second, that is millions of Americans that have been disenfranchised living in those states that vote Republican. And presidential elections Governor races, senate races, and local elections. Yet somehow, when it comes to congressional districts, Republicans are entirely wiped off the map on purpose. In fact, this has been part of a long term political strategy. In blue states, Democrats perfected the art of concentrating Republican voters into a few districts as possible and then spreading them so thinly that they can never actually win representation. Meanwhile, those same Democrats are going on television every day now pretending that they are defenders of, quote, fair maps and democracy. Yeah, the hypocrisy is, quote, unquote unbelievable, but it's really not if you've been paying attention to what's been happening all over the country for decades. Just take Massachusetts, for example. Republicans routinely receive hundreds of thousands of votes statewide, yet Democrats hold every single congressional seat. The same thing happens in Rhode Island. The same thing happens in Connecticut. The same thing happens in Hawaii. Republicans may as well not exist according to the congressional representation. And this isn't just about geography. It's also about power. Because congressional districts determine who controls the House of Representatives. That determines who has the committee chairmanships, who is in charge of the investigations or impeachments, who's in charge of spending, border security, taxes, regulations, literally everything. That's why the Democratic Party has been doing this. And that's why now Republicans are fighting over the map so aggressively. But here's what Democrats never want to admit. They were perfectly fine with aggressive redistricting when they controlled the process. And for decades, Democrats used urban political machines, court systems, state legislatures and activist groups to shape districts in their favor. In many states, they created maps so lopsided that competitive congressional races effectively disappeared altogether. Now suddenly, when Republicans fight back in states like Texas and Florida or Tennessee, Democrats scream from the hilltops and yell racism. The media narrative is, well, always the same. If Republicans redraw maps, it's called an attack on democracy. But when Democrats literally implement the same maps, it's called protecting representation in minorities. Americans, they're tired of the double standard, especially if you're a conservative. And the numbers, by the way, they don't lie. Just look at Illinois, one of the most aggressively gerrymandered states in America. Republicans regularly receive 45% in statewide votes, yet Democrats dominate the congressional delegation because the maps are perfectly engineered to maximize Democratic seats. Maryland became infamous for bizarrely shaped districts designed specifically to weaken Republican voters. New York Democrats openly laughed and attempted aggressive mid decade redistricting to gain more congressional seats before the courts were forced to step in. And California's system may technically involve a commission, but the end result is still a Delegation overwhelmingly tilted towards the left, towards Democrats in a state where millions, and that's not an exaggeration. Millions of Republicans live and vote. And here's the broader point Americans need to understand. Gerrymandering is not some unique Republican phenomenon, if you even want to call it that. It is a bipartisan political weapon. Republicans are decades late to the game. The difference is Republicans are finally fighting back. And it's about time. After years of taking it on the chin, watching Democrats dominate the process, even major media outlets are now forced to admit that redistricting wars are escalating nationwide, both parties aggressively pursuing partisan advantages ahead of the midterm elections. And let's be honest about why this matters so much right now. The margins in Congress are razor thin. You've got a handful of districts that can determine who becomes speaker of the House, which party controls investigations, whether tax cuts survive, whether border security legislation passes, and whether Donald Trump's agenda that America clearly voted for moves forward or gets buried. Now. That's why Democrats are panicking. That's why people like Stacey Abrams are coming out on TV playing the race card and also warning about what Republicans are about to do and how it could be so damaging because they've been the masters of it for years. The same Democrats who've been gerrymandering for decades are now playing the race card. So let's not be lectured by the Democrats on fairness while they maintain states with zero Republican representation. Don't pretend parson maps are evil only when Republicans are the ones drawing them now. And don't act like millions of conservative voters in blue states somehow deserve no voice in Congress because that's exactly what they've been doing for the last 20 plus years. The left, they spent decades building political fortresses in blue states and accusing Republicans of doing precisely the same thing elsewhere. And now the country's waking up to it. At the end of the day, this debate is really about political power. Who has it, who keeps it and who controls Washington. And if Democrats know that if Republicans continue gaining ground with working class voters, Hispanic voters, union households, suburban parents and independents, then the only way to maintain power in some places is through district maps designed to protect incumbents and lock in those advantages. Well, now that seems to be all over. And Republicans are doing exactly what they should do, fighting back. Quick break. Ben Ferguson show More coming up next.

[Ben Ferguson (Show Announcer)]

Story number two.

[Ben Ferguson]

You remember those wildfires that started in la? Remember how the reservoirs were empty? And remember the incompetence because of the leadership in la, including an incompetent fire chief and the bickering and fighting back and forth as houses burned to the ground. Well, you would think they would have learned from those empty reservoirs. Apparently they've learned nothing at all because some of them are still bone dry as we speak. And that's having a real impact on the election in la. The political liberal radical establishment in LA is facing a nightmare scenario that they never thought was even possible. A conservative outsider is surging in one of the bluest major cities in America. And Democrats, they're openly panicking and now they're worried they may lose control of the narrative in a city that they've dominated for decades and destroyed with crime and drugs and pretty much every other liberal idea that's been a disaster. Now let me also explain to you exactly who's in this race. You have a guy by the name of Spencer Pratt. He's a former reality TV personality by the way. LA makes a lot of those. But they want you to think that that means he's not a serious candidate. And how did he turn himself into a political insurgent? Well, it's pretty simple. His house burned down in those fires and that irritated him because this race has become much bigger than just Los Angeles. It's also getting a lot of attention. It's becoming a national warning sign for Democrats who are mismanaging cities with high crime and high poverty and failing schools. For years, Democrats treated LA like an untouchable political territory. It's a city where progressive politics dominated nearly every institution. City hall, the media, Hollywood, academia, activist organizations and most local elections. Republicans weren't even expected to compete seriously there anymore, ever. And then suddenly, according to recent polling, Pratt has surged in second place in the mayoral race ahead of major establishment backed candidates and within striking distance of the woman in charge of la, Karen Bass. This could be a political earthquake. Democrats understand something very clearly. If a conservative populist style candidate, very much like Donald Trump could become competitive in la, then no Democratic run city in America is truly safe anymore. Especially after there's a major moment it like a wildfire or anarchy riots or things like that. And that's exactly why it's happening. Because voters in la, well, they've had enough of the politics and they're furious. What are they angry over? Out of control homelessness? They're angry over crime. They're also angry over the cost of living and they're furious over the failed leadership that very much caused those wildfires to grow. They're furious over government incompetence even after the fires happen. And they're especially furious over the aftermath of realizing that the people that claim they were gonna be there to help them rebuild have done anything but do that. In fact, they've showed no effort to follow up on rebuilding a city that's been destroyed. The Palisade fires show just how bad the Democratic machine actually is. And that is the issue that has now changed everything. Now Pratt has aggressively positioned himself as the candidate of anger, frustration and revolt against City Hall. He's telling voters what many residents already feel, that the political class running LA has not only failed the city, but has failed them. And what's fascinating is how he's doing it. He's not running like a traditional Republican either. He's running like a populace who said enough is enough and are you with me? His campaign style mirrors what we've seen nationally in outsider movements, social media dominance, viral videos, anti establishment rhetoric, blunt language and direct attacks on city leadership. He's also had a constant focus on quality of life and the failures of the Democratic Party. He's talking about homeless encampments that are out of control. He's talking about the fentanyl crisis and the dead bodies. He's talking about public safety and how really no one feels safe in LA anymore. He's also talking about urban decline, something Democrats don't wanna admit. And he talks about taxpayers feeling totally abandoned while the political elite lecture them and take their money. Remember, LA is insanely expensive to live on top of the out of control taxation. And Democrats, they're deeply uncomfortable because there are issues where voters increasingly believe conservatives actually have an advantage. That is the real story here. Now this race is exposing the widening disconnect between progressive activists. You know, the Black Lives Matter movement that then turned into abolish the police, that then turned into burn down cities. Yeah, and ordinary working class voters, many of them that were Democrats who simply voted for them over and over again until now. And this is what really should terrify Democrats nationally. Pratt's support is not just coming from Republicans, even Democrats are supporting him. So now you understand why not only is LA a major race, but also the California governor candidates race, with Steve Hilton a Republican at 18.5%, the billionaire Democrat liberal Tom Steyer at 16%, Chad Bianco a Republican at 13%. Yes, two of the three top leading California gubernatorial candidates are Republicans right now. Because it's not just la, it's literally the entire state they have destroyed. And that's exactly why the Democratic Party is freaking out right now, trying to figure out how they hold on to a place they never thought they could possibly lose.

[Ben Ferguson (Show Announcer)]

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. And for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.

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