Joe Scarborough: Republicans Won House Of Representatives Majority Because Of Gerrymandering (VIDEO)

Scarborough: GOP Cheated Way To House Majority

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Joe Scarborough said on Sunday that Republicans owe their majority in the House of Representatives to gerrymandering.

The MSNBC host was part of the roundtable on "Meet the Press." He lamented the loss of the Republican party's popular appeal, and recalled how William F. Buckley criticized certain elements of the conservative movement.

"That has to happen again with this party because it’s getting smaller and smaller," Scarborough said. "In this debate, we actually have conservative thinkers, talking about Ronald Reagan being a RINO — a Republican in name only, because he supported an assault weapons ban. They keep pushing themselves closer and closer to the cliff."

Then he said, "But I just have to say one other really important point, because I made a mistake over the past month talking about how Republicans have also won a majority in the House. As this article I was referencing mentioned, we actually got a minority of votes nationwide in House races. It was just gerrymandering from 2010 that gave us the majority."

His statement came after the Republican State Leadership Committee admitted to targeting state legislature races with the intention of drawing new district lines in order to gain a House majority. "The rationale was straightforward," the organization wrote. "Controlling the redistricting process in these states would have the greatest impact on determining how both state legislative and congressional district boundaries would be drawn."

Earlier this month, Scarborough warned that the GOP would lose its majority in the House if it continues to fight gun control reform. He has been a vocal critic of the party in recent months, and hammered Republicans over the fiscal cliff deal, tax policy and gun control. He has also called on the party to re-assess its agenda in light of the country's shifting demographics.

Before You Go

Ann Curry

Faces of NBC News

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot