WhatifgerrymanderingwerenotjustahotbuttoncontemporarypoliticalissuebutactuallyadeepstoryofhowTexascametobe?GerrymanderingTexasusesrelevantlegislationandcourtcasestotellthepoliticalhistoryofthestateofTexas.Writingoutofdecadesofexperienceasanassistantattorneygeneral,senateparliamentarian,expertconsultantonredistricting,andlawprofessor,SteveBickerstafftracesthestoryofthispoliticalpracticefrom1836uptothepresentandprognosticateswhatliesaheadforthe2020censusand2021redistricting.Sinceredistrictingisthestoryofboundaries,borders,andrepresentation,Bickerstaff’sbookalsotellsthestoryofTexas’sevolutionovertime.ThevariousTexasconstitutionsareunpacked,andthechangingracialmakeupofthestatecomesintosharprelief.DemocratdominanceinstategovernancegiveswaytotherecentRepublicandominance.Bickerstaff’sanalysisofredistricting,alwaysclear-headedandeven-handed,givesnewinsightintothehistoryoftheLoneStarState.GerrymanderingTexasintersperseshistoryandlegalanalysiswithfirst-personstoriesoftheauthor’sownmanyexperienceswithredistricting,fromtryingcases,toservingasexpertwitness,toconsultingduringthelatestTexasconstitutionalconvention.ManyofthesestoriesrepresentthefirsttimeBickerstaffhasmadepublichisprivateopinionsaboutimportantmomentsinrecentTexaspoliticalhistory--momentsinwhichBickerstaffwashimselfakeysupportingplayer.
