Democrats are seeking to make up ground lost in recent election cycles in congressional and state races, so they have formed the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC). Former Attorney General Eric Holder will chair the new umbrella group, which will focus on redistricting reform as they claim to take on Republican gerrymandering of state redistricting maps. “American voters deserve fair maps that represent our diverse communities — and we need a coordinated strategy to make that happen,” Holder said. “This unprecedented new effort will ensure Democrats have a seat at the table to create fairer maps after 2020.”

Barack Obama, who endorsed Holder for the role of NDRC chairman, made it clear that the redistricting effort will be one of his chief aims upon leaving office. White House political director David Simas commented, “Where [Obama] will be most politically engaged will be at the state legislative level, with an eye on redistricting after 2020.” Obama knows his legacy includes decimating down-ballot Democrats.

The real trouble is that Democrat leaders like Obama and Holder constantly claim that racism dominates the Republican Party — therefore, the redistricting done by Republican state legislators and governors has been inherently racist. Holder once insisted we’re “a nation of cowards” on the issue of race relations.

According to Carolyn Fiddler, communications director for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, “[Donald] Trump is an acute symptom of their party in decline, and Republican leadership can’t help but be aware that their majorities in the U.S. House and in many statehouses are inflated at best, wholly artificial at worst.” Once again it seems that when Democrats cannot win on ideas they’ll look for other ways to seize the reins of power.