Accompanied by California and Texas lawmakers, California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks in assist of the Texas Democratic lawmakers for his or her walkout to dam a vote on a congressional redistricting plan sought by President Donald Trump, throughout a information convention in Sacramento, Calif., Friday Aug. 8, 2025.
Wealthy Pedroncelli/AP
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Wealthy Pedroncelli/AP
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Democrats in California’s state legislature have launched a proposal for a brand new congressional map that would give their get together as much as 5 new seats.
It is a main step ahead for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plans and the escalating race between the 2 main events as they search to choose up extra U.S. Home seats in subsequent 12 months’s midterm elections.
Newsom has mentioned that he’ll name a Nov. 4 particular election, so California voters can determine whether or not to undertake the brand new districts. That election would bypass the state’s impartial redistricting fee.
Newsom argues California is redrawing its congressional map — a course of sometimes accomplished firstly of a brand new decade — in response to Republicans in Texas redrawing their very own traces to seize as much as 5 extra GOP seats. President Trump urged Texas Republicans to redo the state’s districts to assist the get together.
“We’ve got the chance to de facto finish the Trump presidency in lower than 18 months. That is what’s at stake,” Newsom mentioned throughout a press convention earlier this month, referring to the test a Democratic-controlled U.S. Home might have on the White Home.
California lawmakers plan to vote on the proposed map Thursday, Aug. 21.
Now that California Democrats have launched their proposal, Texas Democrats might begin heading residence. They vacated the state for almost two weeks to disclaim a quorum and forestall Republicans from passing new voting districts. Again in Austin, Democrats will not have the votes to cease the newly drawn map from being adopted.
Republican opposition
The Democrats’ proposal targets 5 Republican representatives – Kevin Kiley, Doug LaMalfa, David Valadao, Darrell Issa and Ken Calvert – who now face bluer districts. Democrats presently management 43 of California’s 52 seats.
Kiley launched a invoice to ban mid-decade redistricting and criticized Newsom for skirting California’s impartial Residents Redistricting Fee.
“This can be a second for each Californian and each American of decency, no matter get together affiliation, to talk out in opposition to the abject corruption that our governor is trying,” Kiley mentioned throughout a speech on the U.S. Home ground. Democratic Rep. Marc Veasey, who’s among the many Democrats focused with Texas Republicans’ new map, has launched comparable laws.
Newsom has argued that California Democrats should “battle hearth with hearth,” sustaining that his state’s proposal is in response to redistricting efforts in Texas.
“I am appreciative that this member of Congress is waking as much as the fact of what has occurred in Texas,” Newsom mentioned when requested about Kiley’s laws not too long ago. “I have never heard a lot from him because it pertains to the condemnation of their efforts, however I am grateful that he acknowledges the significance of a nationwide framework.”
Newsom added that California’s proposal would have a set off clause and solely go into impact if Texas or one other pink state strikes ahead with its personal redistricting plans.
“I’ll acknowledge that I do not like a few of what is going on on in different states both,” Kiley mentioned throughout a press convention this week. “I believe having mid-decade redistricting this 12 months cascade throughout the nation in some type of domino impact will likely be an enormous distraction and a really unhealthy factor for consultant authorities.”
“Good authorities” opposition
If permitted, the brand new California districts would apply for 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections, and the Residents Redistricting Fee would regain redistricting authority after the 2030 census. Voters permitted making a fee in 2008 for state legislative districts, and added congressional seats to the fee’s authority in 2010. Its 14 members embrace 5 Democrats, 5 Republicans and 4 not affiliated with both get together.
Jeanne Raya, a former Democratic member of the fee, mentioned she’s involved a few lack of transparency in Newsom’s redistricting plans.
“Anyone’s going to be drawing maps, whether or not behind an actual door, a digital door,” Raya mentioned. “There is not going to be that transparency that’s written into the impartial fee’s work and voters will endure for that.”
A lot of good authorities advocacy teams oppose Newsom’s proposal, arguing it politicizes the redistricting course of and disenfranchises the general public by sidelining the impartial fee.
In response to critiques, Newsom argued the proposal is clear as a result of voters could have the final word say. The Texas plan is not going to be despatched to voters.
“We’re speaking about emergency measures to reply to what’s taking place in Texas and we’ll nullify what occurs in Texas,” Newsom mentioned throughout a press convention the place he hosted Texas Democrats. “We are going to choose up 5 seats with the consent of the folks and that’s the distinction between the method we’re taking and the method [Texas Republicans are] taking.”
Different blue states, together with New York and Illinois, are contemplating their very own rounds of latest redistricting, however face hurdles or supply Democrats few pickup alternatives. Republicans, in states corresponding to Ohio, Indiana, Florida and Missouri, are thought-about to have extra potential seats.
