The Rehabilitation of Elbridge Gerry

There may be no word — or practice — in 21st-century American politics as reviled as gerrymandering, the process of one political party’s legislators drawing districts for partisan, self-interested purposes. As campaigns for the 2026 midterm elections begin to heat up, gerrymandering is again on the minds of Americans due to the recent battles over mid-decade redistricting. Already, six states have undertaken a mid-decade redistricting, and more may follow.

And while politicians and cable news talking heads spend countless hours debating what constitutes a gerrymander, few Americans give much thought to the man responsible for this now legendary portmanteau, Elbridge Gerry.