Democratic strategist James Carville is laying out a playbook for a political power grab so blatant it makes past schemes look tame. In a recent appearance on the “Politics War Room” podcast, Carville urged Democrats to seize control of the system—not to reform it—but to rig it in their favor, all under the banner of “saving democracy.”
“If the Democrats win the presidency, the Senate, and the House in 2028,” Carville said, “they are just going to have to unilaterally add Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia as states.” Why? Because it would guarantee them four more Democratic senators and tip the balance of Congress for years to come.
Carville went even further, saying Democrats should expand the Supreme Court to 13 justices if they get the chance—essentially packing the bench with liberal judges to override rulings they don’t like. While he admitted he wouldn’t normally support such a move, he told listeners, “You’re opening Pandora’s box… [but] they’re going to have to do it.”
In other words, the Constitution is optional if Democrats believe it’s standing in their way.
He also pointed to the power Congress has over federal elections, claiming Democrats should use that leverage to override state-level redistricting. Ironically, this came just as Democrats are attacking Texas for its Republican-led map—which they claim is a threat to democracy.
Carville’s comments come as Democrat confidence in their electoral strength continues to erode. After their 2024 meltdown—when Joe Biden lost to Donald Trump and Kamala Harris became the nominee without winning a single primary vote—voters started asking questions. Even Bernie Sanders called the process a sham. “I’m not going to argue with that point,” he said when told his party was “a threat to democracy.”
Democrats have long sold themselves as defenders of democratic norms. But Carville’s vision throws that pretense out the window. It’s not about preserving institutions—it’s about permanently rewriting them to favor the left.
A 2024 Annenberg poll showed only 29% of Americans support increasing the number of Supreme Court justices. Yet Carville is now openly encouraging that strategy, even acknowledging it would have once made him “cautious.”
None of this is coming from fringe activists. Carville is a longtime Democratic strategist and party insider. His views reflect a growing willingness within the party to override traditional guardrails in pursuit of raw political dominance.
And for all their talk of Trump being the one who threatens democracy, recent polls show swing voters now trust Trump more than Democrats when it comes to preserving the republic.
Carville’s comments are a window into the Democratic Party’s mindset: If they can’t win the rules, they’ll change the rules. And if that means packing the court, adding states, or steamrolling red states’ autonomy—so be it.
So much for the party of norms.