Representative Raymond Crews Talks Redistricting and the Implications of Mamdani's Win

You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for November 5,2025. 0:30 We react to Zohran Mamdani's victory and fiery acceptance speech. He's promising free childcare, rent freezes, but how will this extreme turn toward big government damage New York and cities across the nation? 9:30 Plus, we cover the Top 3 Things You Need to Know. 25 illegal aliens were arrested during an ICE Raid in Harvey, Louisiana last week.The City of New Orleans is changing its mind again, and now will ask the state for $125 million to cover its bills.The Bossier City Council rejected a proposal to allow residents to have backyard chickens.12:00 Get Performlyte from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20.13:30 California just passed Proposition 50, which hands redistricting power back to the state legislature starting in 2026—undoing reforms that had shifted map-drawing to an independent commission. The move effectively reopens the door to partisan gerrymandering, allowing Democrats to reshape congressional boundaries in their favor. California currently has nine Republican-held districts, but Prop 50 could erase as many as five of them, further entrenching one-party control.15:30 State Representative Raymond Crews joins us in the studio to discuss the Louisiana legislature’s brief special session, which focused on moving spring election dates to give the U.S. Supreme Court more time to rule on Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. We dig into the high-stakes implications of that decision—both for Louisiana’s congressional maps and for redistricting nationwide. Crews explains that while the timeline remains uncertain, the Court’s ruling could reshape how race factors into map drawing across the country. 23:00 There’s no such thing as a free lunch. New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is making a lot of promises, but every so-called free benefit comes at a cost paid by taxpayers, business owners, and job creators. As high taxes and progressive policies continue to drive residents out of New York City, the discussion turns to where those fleeing are headed—states like Florida, Texas, and Tennessee that offer lower taxes and greater opportunity.26:30 We Dig Deep into the Louisiana Department of Health's announcement that SNAP benefits will resume statewide. While the move offers short-term relief to families in need, we question the sustainability of this "solution." The USDA’s contingency fund—just enough to cover half a month of nationwide benefits—is being tapped after political pressure, showing how fragile and politicized government assistance has become. And what about the unintended consequences of decades of welfare expansion: dependency, bloated bureaucracies, and declining charitable engagement?32:00 Get Prodovite Plus from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20.32:30 If you need an example of how throwing more money at a problem doesn't guarantee sucess, take a look at the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys, one of the richest franchises in sports, still struggle on the field—just as government programs with billion-dollar budgets fail to deliver real results.35:30 Plus, we have a little fun guessing which states have the most Republicans in Congress. Play along! 40:00 And we finish off with new data from the National Association of Realtors showing that first-time homebuyers now make up just 21% of all buyers—a record low.Follow us: americangroundradio.comFacebook: facebook.com / AmericanGroundRadioInstagram: instagram.com/americangroundradio