California's Democratic governor has introduced a bold initiative to redraw electoral boundaries in the country's largest state to counter similar Republican efforts in Texas.
Gavin Newsom has called for a special election scheduled for November, where voters will be asked to authorize lawmakers to redraw congressional districts ahead of the national midterms in 2026.
He framed this action as a necessary response to a plan backed by Donald Trump in Texas, which could allow Republicans to gain five additional seats in the closely contested House.
This development is the latest in an escalating gerrymandering conflict that poses the threat of igniting a political arms race for control of the US Congress.
The governor, whose term concludes next year and who is rumored to have ambitions for the presidency, stated that this initiative would counter the efforts of Trump and other Republicans to "manipulate the system."
"We're working through a very transparent, temporary, and public process," Newsom noted.
"We're putting the maps on the ballot and giving power back to the people."
He added: "We must recognize the hand we have been dealt and match fire with fire."
Newsom's plan would allow California to maintain its existing congressional maps if Texas and other states abandon any proposed changes.
This reciprocal action aims to mitigate the anticipated Republican gains in Texas if the state moves forward with the redistricting plan promoted by Trump and Governor Greg Abbott.
Currently, Republicans in Texas have been unable to pass new maps as Democratic lawmakers have left the state, preventing the legislative body from achieving the necessary two-thirds attendance to conduct a vote.
Abbott has threatened to arrest the absent Democrats, who are currently in Illinois, and declared he would continue to call special sessions of the state legislature until the proposal is approved.
Just like in other states, California usually redraws its congressional districts once every ten years, following the release of new population data from the US Census. To accomplish this, California forms a commission comprising independent citizens.
The proposal in Texas to alter districts in the middle of the decade has sparked a political controversy across the nation, as these adjustments could provide Republicans with a smoother path to maintain control over the US House of Representatives and fend off Democratic challenges that would arise under the existing political maps. Should Democrats seize control of the House, it could impede much of Trump's legislative agenda.
Gerrymandering—the act of redrawing electoral boundaries to benefit a political party—has been practiced by both Democrats and Republicans throughout the US for many years and remains legal as long as it does not constitute racial discrimination, according to the Supreme Court.
Trump has expressed that Texas has the right to redraw its maps and has urged the FBI to exert pressure on the state's Democrats to return, thereby facilitating a vote.
Some Democrats are expected to head back to Texas as soon as this weekend, believing that their journey across the country has helped garner increased national attention on the issue.
Reports from US media indicate that some opted to return after observing California's intentions to counteract Texas's new maps.
California Democrats—who elected 43 Democrats and 9 Republicans in the recent election—have yet to release a specific new map or clarify how many additional seats they aim to gain through the changes. The governor mentioned that the newly redrawn political boundaries would be published in the coming days.
Newsom revealed his initiative—termed the Election Rigging Response Act—alongside a coalition of Democratic leaders. He has also called for the establishment of new federal standards to prevent political interference in the mapping of voting districts.
It remains uncertain whether California voters will endorse Newsom's proposal. A recent survey from the Politico-Citrin Center Possibility Lab indicated that Californians generally favor keeping the independent districting system in place.
Only 36% of those surveyed supported the idea of returning congressional redistricting powers to state legislators.
In an interview with Fox on Thursday, Trump referred to Newsom as "an incompetent governor."
He also mentioned that he is contemplating urging Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to redraw the districts in Florida so that Republicans can secure more seats there.
The president criticized other states for creating "ridiculous" voting districts that resemble "rattlesnakes."
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