California voters will decide this November on whether to approve a newly redrawn congressional map aimed at giving Democrats five additional U.S. House seats next year. The move comes just as Texas Republicans advanced their own redistricting plan to secure the same number of seats at President Donald Trump’s urging.
The California Legislature, voting largely along party lines, approved the measure Thursday. Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly signed the legislation, marking the latest escalation in what has become a partisan redistricting standoff.
“This is not something six weeks ago I ever imagined I’d be doing,” Newsom said at a press conference. He pledged to campaign vigorously for the proposal, seeking support from Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike. “This is a reaction to an assault on our democracy in Texas.”
Republicans, who have filed a lawsuit and are calling for a federal investigation, vowed to challenge the measure at the ballot box.
California Assemblyman James Gallagher, the Republican minority leader, argued that Trump was reacting to Democratic gerrymandering in other states. Still, he criticized Newsom’s “fight fire with fire” strategy as reckless. “You move forward fighting fire with fire and what happens?” Gallagher asked. “You burn it all down.”
In Texas, the Republican-controlled state Senate was expected to vote on its redrawn map late Thursday. Once signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, it will become law. The plan is central to Trump’s push to maintain GOP control of the House in the 2026 midterm elections.
A battle over control of the U.S. House
Nationally, Democrats are within three seats of a majority in the House, a narrow margin that raises the stakes of midterm redistricting. Historically, the president’s party tends to lose ground in these elections.
Trump has urged other Republican-led states — including Indiana and Missouri — to redraw maps to favor the GOP, while Ohio Republicans were already preparing to adjust theirs.
Redistricting usually occurs once per decade after the census, but there is no federal ban on mid-decade changes. The U.S. Supreme Court has also ruled that partisan gerrymandering is permissible, though racial gerrymandering is not.
Texas Republicans leaned on that precedent when the state House approved its new map Wednesday. “The underlying goal of this plan is straightforward: improve Republican political performance,” said state Rep. Todd Hunter, who authored the bill.
California Democrats, pointing to Hunter’s remarks, argued they had little choice but to act. “What do we do, just sit back and do nothing? Or do we fight back?” said state Sen. Lena Gonzalez. “This is how we fight back and protect our democracy.”
Push for national reform
California established its independent redistricting commission through ballot measures in 2008 and 2010, with support from both parties. Democrats have since pushed for a similar national system but have been unable to pass legislation in Congress.
Newsom himself once supported California’s commission-driven process, but he argued Thursday that the state’s latest move still sets an example. “We’ll be the first state in U.S. history, in the most democratic way, to submit to the people of our state the ability to determine their own maps,” he said.
Former President Barack Obama, a longtime advocate of nonpartisan redistricting, endorsed Newsom’s approach. Speaking at a Democratic fundraiser Tuesday, Obama said the plan was “a smart, measured approach,” since voters will ultimately decide.
A temporary fix
The California map would only remain in effect through 2030, when the state’s commission will resume its usual role after the next census. Democrats are also considering mid-decade redraws in Maryland and New York.
Still, because more Democratic-led states use commissions or have restrictions on redistricting, Republicans generally have more freedom to reshape maps mid-decade. For example, New York cannot attempt another redraw until 2028, and even then only with voter approval.
In Texas, Democrats tried to delay the process by walking out, postponing the vote for 15 days. Upon their return, they were placed under round-the-clock police monitoring.
California Republicans avoided such tactics but sharply criticized Democrats for undermining the state’s nonpartisan process. “What you’re striving for is predetermined elections,” said GOP state Sen. Tony Strickland. “You’re taking the voice away from Californians.”
