California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced that California will move forward with its redistricting plan. The proposed maps will be placed on the Nov. 4 ballot.
This measure was enacted to as a counter measure to Texas’s redistricting plan that, at the behest of the Donald Trump, seeks to add five seats that will likely go to Republican lawmakers.
“I know they say ‘Don’t mess with Texas.’ Well, don’t mess with the great Golden State,” Newsom said at a news conference, flanked by Democratic members of Congress and California union leaders. “We’re doing this in reaction to a president of the United States that called a sitting governor of the state of Texas and said, ‘Find me five seats,'” he added later.
California will live up to its commitment to the its independent redistricting commission after the 2030 census, but is asking voters to accept this mid-decade change for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 midterm elections to combat the changes happening in Texas.
As Newsom delivered his speech, federal agents were conducting an immigration operation outside of the building, something Newsom used to buttress his thoughts on Trump’s administration’s activities.
“Where are we? We are at Democracy Center and right outside at this exact moment? There are dozens and dozens of ICE agents … You think it’s coincidental?” Newsom said, referring to the Democracy Center at the Japanese American National Museum in downtown Los Angeles where he was delivering his remarks. “Donald Trump and his minions, Tom Homan (border czar), tough guy, clearly decided, coincidentally or not, that this was a location to advance ICE arrests.”
Although the California legislature will have to vote on the redistricting plan, Newsom told reporters after his speech that if other Republican-led states refuse to redistrict, then California will not move forward with redrawing its own maps.
Republicans have responded to Newsom’s announcement with ardent consternation.
“Newsom’s made it clear: he’ll shred California’s Constitution and trample over democracy — running a cynical, self-serving playbook where Californians are an afterthought and power is the only priority,” said Christian Martinez, National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson.
