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 contemplate redrawing its personal map if these efforts proceed.
“I’m writing to ask you to name on the governor of Texas and different pink states, who’re performing in your request to attract new congressional maps by way of an unprecedented, mid-decade hyper-partisan gerrymander to rig the upcoming midterm elections, to cease these efforts,” Newsom wrote on Aug. 11.
The letter follows meetings 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 towards injustice for us all,“ accusing the president of ”[preventing] voters from holding him accountable and [providing] a examine” on his insurance policies.
“California stands able to flex its muscle to make sure the integrity of our democracy nationwide,” Newsom mentioned.
Texas lawmakers who traveled to California mentioned they plan to maintain urgent their case.
“We got here right here figuring out the dangers,” Texas state Rep. Ann Johnson mentioned in the identical Aug. 8 assertion.
“Lawsuits, threats, and intimidation gained’t cease us. We swore an oath—to not Trump, to not Abbott, and to not any occasion. We swore to defend the Structure and the individuals we symbolize. 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 “attempting to alter the principles to redraw Congressional district maps and rig the elections of their favor.”
“Democrats should reply to Republicans’ blatant partisan energy seize. We can not and won’t unilaterally disarm,” she mentioned.
Newsom has already said California will transfer ahead with a November poll measure that might let voters briefly modify the state’s congressional map if Texas or different GOP-led states observe by way of with their redistricting plans.
On the similar time, Newsom has mentioned the state will stay dedicated to unbiased 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 unbiased redistricting fee, will probably be prepared for scrutiny this week.
“You might be taking part in with hearth, risking the destabilization of our democracy, whereas figuring out that California can neutralize any beneficial properties you hope to make,” Newsom mentioned in his letter to the president. “This try and rig congressional maps to carry onto energy earlier than a single vote is solid within the 2026 election is an affront to American democracy.”
Newsom’s letter added that California “can not stand idly by” if different states change maps earlier than the 2026 midterms, but in addition acknowledged that he prefers “unbiased, citizen-led” processes. He instructed Trump that California would “fortunately” 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 stop the mandatory quorum.
“California is gerrymandered,” Trump told CNBC on Aug. 5. “We must always have many extra seats in Congress in California—it’s all gerrymandered. And now we have a chance in Texas to select up 5 seats.”
Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) has proposed a federal ban on mid-decade redistricting.
“Gerrymandering is an issue no matter which occasion does it, and it actually shouldn’t be achieved in the midst of the last decade,” he mentioned.
Kiley mentioned that in his view, what Newsom was trying in California “goes past that.”
The combat over timing and course of now sits with state leaders and, in California, may very well 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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