eli5 what keeps american politicians from just switching parties to get around gerrymandering?

Question

eli5 what keeps american politicians from just switching parties to get around gerrymandering?

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Answer 1

I don’t see how switching parties gets you around gerrymandering.

Let’s say you’re a Republican, and your district has changed so that it is now majority-Democrat. If you run again as a Republican, you’re likely to lose. You could switch parties, but if your policy positions are the same, Democratic voters will reject you. If you change your policy positions, you’re a spineless coward who will say anything to get elected and that certainly won’t ingratiate you with voters either.

Either way you’re almost sure to lose a primary election to a bona fide Democrat.