Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and Rep. Tom Suozzi, co-chairs of the bipartisan House Problem Solvers Caucus, argued that gerrymandering and closed primaries make election incentives turn inward—toward safe seats and base pandering—hurting cross-party cooperation. The
When district lines redraw the map, lawmakers say the damage starts long before any general election is held.. Rep.. Brian Fitzpatrick and Rep.. Tom Suozzi. both co-chairs of the bipartisan House Problem Solvers Caucus. argued that the practical effect of gerrymandering is to lock in safe seats and concentrate campaigns on primaries instead—tightening the hold of partisan bases on what happens inside Congress.
The concern is shared even as their own districts face potential disruption.. Fitzpatrick said gerrymandering is “one of the most. if not the most. corrosive things to our democracy. ” and both he and Suozzi tied their opposition to a federal funding lever available to Congress: Help America Vote Act funding.. Fitzpatrick said the caucus met “this past week to start taking measurable steps to fight back. ” adding that only “seven states. by the way. ” use independent citizen commissions with computer-generated line drawing to produce more balanced districts.
Suozzi framed the election mechanics more bluntly: when safe seats are engineered through gerrymandering. he said “the only elections that matter are not the general election. but the primary. ” pushing candidates to “pander to their base” rather than talk to all constituents.. He said that dynamic turns into “a battle… this race to the bottom. ” and warned it leaves politicians with few incentives “to listen to people and to reach across the aisle.”
The political tension around redistricting is compounded by the way primaries can enforce party loyalty.. Brennan pressed Fitzpatrick on what she described as a pattern of presidential involvement in intra-party contests. citing a Louisiana primary where Senator Bill Cassidy lost and pointing to the president’s focus on Kentucky Rep.. Thomas Massie, including votes against the president and opposition for the release of the Epstein files.. Fitzpatrick answered by shifting to a structural reform: open primaries in all 50 states.
He argued that over half of states use closed primaries. excluding registered independents “from voting in 50% of elections.” Fitzpatrick said the effect is particularly striking because. he argued. a person can be an independent voter “in the land of independence” and still be “told you’re not welcome to vote in half of elections.” He also said the consequences show up in the House floor dynamics he sees firsthand. describing what he called the “vote no. hope yes crowd.” In his view. lawmakers shaped by closed-primary constituencies end up focusing on “18% of Americans” who vote in primaries. instead of “100% of their electorate. ” contributing to “gridlock on the House floor.”
Suozzi said the mechanics also explain why his own campaign would require broader coalition-building.. He noted he is in a district “that Donald Trump won by 19. 000 votes. ” while Fitzpatrick. Suozzi said. is a Republican representing a district “as a Republican that Kamala Harris won.” To win. Suozzi said he needs “the large majority of Democrats. ” “the majority of independents. ” “even… a few Republicans. ” and argued that only candidates forced to reach beyond a safe seat are compelled to listen.
He extended that argument to what he sees as the cascade from safe-seat incentives: he said most members in Congress “only have to win their primary” because their party’s voters are effectively assured in the general election.. Suozzi said that encourages reliance on base supporters and pandering rather than general-election responsiveness. and he added that the division is amplified by “social media. ” “cable news. ” and “our foreign adversaries filling our social media feeds with a bunch of dreck.”
As the conversation turned to what voters actually want to hear. Brennan raised polling that she said showed affordability remains the top concern. without either party owning the message.. She cited figures from that polling: “35 percent say Democrats would be better. ” “31 percent who think Trump and Republicans would be. ” and “34 percent neither or not sure.” Suozzi said affordability is “the number one issue in America” and linked price pressures to “the tariffs. ” “the war. ” “the new data centers. ” and “all the debt.” He said Democrats and Republicans must offer policies together. pointing to how he wants “the tariff issue” and “the war powers” brought to Congress for solutions.
Fitzpatrick also leaned on economics. saying “over half of the people in this country live paycheck to paycheck. ” and arguing that the legislative agenda should reflect that reality.. He said discussions in state capitals and in Washington are not “laser focused” on household budgets. while he and Suozzi have emphasized kitchen-table issues through a discharge petition process and legislation he described as “the premium tax credit extension. ” which he said they “passed… through the house.” He also said the work they are doing is meant to be cross-aisle rather than siloed.
Brennan then asked whether they would support a federal gas tax holiday endorsed by the president—an idea that she said would still require congressional action.. Suozzi said the policy would need consideration as a “short term fix” and said “the president’s got to come to Congress to discuss the war and how to… get out of the… war. ” while also arguing that “the tariffs are what are really affecting people’s prices.”
Fitzpatrick raised concerns about the funding source and potential downstream costs.. He said labor unions he works with have expressed worries that a federal gas tax holiday “might raid the highway transit fund. ” which he said they rely on for “local infrastructure and national infrastructure projects.” He told Brennan that “the devil is in the detail” and said any gas tax holiday depends on “where is that money coming from.”
The pair’s last major exchange returned to security aid and sanctions—where timing in the Senate matters as much as votes in the House.. Brennan asked Fitzpatrick what comes next after the House votes on authorizing “new security aid” and imposing “new sanctions on Russia. ” noting that Senate Leader Thune has “no time to take it up.” Fitzpatrick said he would push to ensure “they find time to take it up. ” arguing the Ukrainian front needs help and “morale boost.” He said he has pledged “unequivocal support” after visiting “the front line… several times. ” and said his office gathered “218 signatures” this week on a “massive. massive discharge petition” described as “far greater than even just Russia sanctions.” He said the broader package is aimed at Ukraine. and delivered a message to Ukrainians that “help is on the way.”
The debate around elections and governing, both men said, runs through the same structural bottlenecks.. Suozzi connected gerrymandered safe seats to primary-focused incentives. while Fitzpatrick described closed primaries as sharpening that same inward pull by limiting who can vote and shrinking legislative attention to “18% of Americans” rather than “100% of their electorate.” Put together. they argued that both mechanisms funnel politics toward base pandering—then land in Congress as gridlock. and shape whether lawmakers can make room for bills built for broader coalitions.
As the session closed, the officials portrayed their priorities as overlapping despite the electoral risks.. Fitzpatrick emphasized a funding-based path to enforce election reforms such as independent citizen commissions. while Suozzi pointed to the coalition math he says forced him to listen to more voters than a safe-seat environment would.. Both framed affordability and kitchen-table economic pressures as the central test for lawmakers. and both ended by returning to urgency in Ukraine: Fitzpatrick saying the discharge petition effort is aimed at keeping security aid moving. even as Senate scheduling remains uncertain.
gerrymandering primaries closed primaries open primaries House Problem Solvers Caucus HAVA funding discharge petition Ukraine security aid sanctions on Russia federal gas tax holiday affordability premium tax credit extension