California Gov. Gavin Newsom requested President Donald Trump in a letter on Aug. 11 to assist cease mid-decade congressional redistricting efforts in Texas and different Republican-led states. He mentioned California would take into account redrawing its personal map if these efforts proceed.
“I am writing to ask you to call on the governor of Texas and other red states, who are acting on your request to draw new congressional maps through an unprecedented, mid-decade hyper-partisan gerrymander to rig the upcoming midterm elections, to stop those efforts,” Newsom wrote on Aug. 11.
The letter follows conferences in Sacramento final week between Newsom, California legislative leaders, and Texas Democratic lawmakers who had fled their state to keep away from a vote on the GOP-led redistricting plan.
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In an announcement on Aug. 8, Newsom mentioned, “Donald Trump is tipping the scales of justice toward injustice for us all,“ accusing the president of ”[preventing] voters from holding him accountable and [providing] a test” on his insurance policies.
“California stands ready to flex its muscle to ensure the integrity of our democracy nationwide,” Newsom mentioned.
Texas lawmakers who traveled to California mentioned they plan to maintain urgent their case.
“We came here knowing the risks,” Texas state Rep. Ann Johnson mentioned in the identical Aug. 8 assertion.
“Lawsuits, threats, and intimidation won’t stop us. We swore an oath—not to Trump, not to Abbott, and not to any party. We swore to defend the Constitution and the people we represent. We’re not backing down.”
Democratic leaders in California additionally backed a possible poll measure to permit voters to authorize a short lived congressional map change if Republican-led states transfer forward with new maps.
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi mentioned within the assertion that Republicans are “trying to change the rules to redraw Congressional district maps and rig the elections in their favor.”
“Democrats must respond to Republicans’ blatant partisan power grab. We cannot and will not unilaterally disarm,” she mentioned.
Newsom has already mentioned California will transfer ahead with a November poll measure that will let voters quickly alter the state’s congressional map if Texas or different GOP-led states comply with by means of with their redistricting plans.
On the identical time, Newsom has mentioned the state will stay dedicated to impartial redistricting, and he characterised any California motion as non permanent and voter-approved. New maps, which Newsom mentioned had been already reviewed by the state’s impartial redistricting fee, can be prepared for scrutiny this week.
“You are playing with fire, risking the destabilization of our democracy, while knowing that California can neutralize any gains you hope to make,” Newsom mentioned in his letter to the president. “This attempt to rig congressional maps to hold onto power before a single vote is cast in the 2026 election is an affront to American democracy.”
Newsom’s letter added that California “cannot stand idly by” if different states change maps earlier than the 2026 midterms, but additionally said that he prefers “independent, citizen-led” processes. He advised Trump that California would “happily” stand down if red-state efforts finish.
Texas Republicans have superior a plan so as to add seats to their congressional map, prompting greater than 50 Texas Democratic lawmakers to go away the state to forestall the required quorum.
“California is gerrymandered,” Trump advised CNBC on Aug. 5. “We should have many more seats in Congress in California—it’s all gerrymandered. And we have an opportunity in Texas to pick up five seats.”
Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) has proposed a federal ban on mid-decade redistricting.
“Gerrymandering is a problem regardless of which party does it, and it certainly shouldn’t be done in the middle of the decade,” he mentioned.
Kiley mentioned that in his view, what Newsom was making an attempt in California “goes beyond that.”
The struggle over timing and course of now sits with state leaders and, in California, could possibly be put earlier than voters this fall. Newsom’s workplace has not launched a closing poll measure, and Texas lawmakers stay in a standoff over the particular session calendar.
The White Home didn’t reply to a request for touch upon the letter from The Epoch Instances earlier than publication time.
Aldgra Fredly contributed to this report.
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