Gavin Newsom Signs Redistricting Measure in Response to New Texas House Map
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed off Thursday on a sweeping mid-decade redistricting measure aimed at clawing back Democrat control in the U.S. House — a direct response to new Republican-drawn congressional maps in Texas.
The “Election Rigging Response Act,” passed along party lines in both chambers of the Democrat-dominated legislature, sets a November 4 special election where California voters will decide whether to approve new congressional districts — maps crafted behind closed doors by Democrat legislators rather than the state’s previously independent redistricting commission.
The move is a clear effort to offset the five new GOP House seats expected to emerge from Texas. If California’s plan is approved by voters — and survives what’s expected to be a high-stakes legal war — Democrats could gain up to five seats of their own, neutralizing the Texas advantage.
“The president and the Texas Republicans are rigging the election,” state Sen. Jerry McNerney (D-East Bay) declared during floor debate. “It is our duty to fight fire with fire.”
Power Grab or Necessary Counterpunch?
Democrats claim the measure is a one-time fix to an unprecedented Republican power grab. But critics aren’t buying it.
“With the reported involvement of the DCCC in this backroom deal, voters should be alarmed,” said Sen. Roger Niello (R-Sacramento County). “This isn’t about defending democracy — it’s about rigging the process for partisan gain.”
The bill bypasses the state’s voter-approved independent redistricting commission, which was created to prevent exactly this kind of political gerrymandering. Now, with Democrats in full control of the legislature and governorship, opponents say California’s supposed commitment to fair maps is dead.
Obama Weighs In
Former President Barack Obama gave the green light to the maneuver earlier this week at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fundraiser, calling Newsom’s plan “a smart, measured approach” to counter Texas.
Legal Fight Ahead
Lawsuits are all but certain. But if Democrats prevail, the California power play could reshape the balance of power in Congress heading into the 2026 midterms.
Whether voters see it as bold resistance or blatant hypocrisy remains to be seen. Either way, the redistricting war between California and Texas has officially escalated.