California Gov. Gavin Newsom is warning President Donald Trump and Republican governors that in the event that they go ahead with redistricting proposals, he can even implement mid-decade redistricting efforts in his state.
In a letter to the president Monday, Newsom stated California “cannot stand idly by” as Texas — and different GOP-led states — try and comply with Trump’s directive to create Republican-favored congressional maps.
“If you will not stand down, I will be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states,” Newsom stated. “But if the other states call off their redistricting efforts, we will happily do the same. And American democracy will be better for it.”
The White Home didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Newsom’s letter comes because the battle over the Texas congressional map has begun to unfold to different states, together with Indiana.
With Democrats needing to flip simply three seats to reclaim a Home majority, Trump pressed the Texas Legislature to attract a brand new map that might give Republicans an extra 5 congressional seats. Democrats across the nation condemned the hassle whilst Texas officers started to maneuver ahead with a plan. Texas Democrats have left the state to keep away from voting on the brand new map, with some settling indefinitely in California.
Vice President JD Vance, in the meantime, headed to Indiana final week to induce Republicans within the Hoosier state to additionally create a brand new map. Individually, Ohio is remitted to redraw districts within the state, whereas talks are underway in Missouri, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida. In whole, Republicans might acquire 10 or extra seats forward of the midterms.
Newsom on Monday referred to as the efforts “hyper-partisan” and an try and “rig” upcoming midterm elections.
“You are playing with fire, risking the destabilization of our democracy, while knowing that California can neutralize any gains you hope to make,” Newsom wrote. “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.”
Whereas Democrats have beforehand threatened to gerrymander their very own maps if Republicans transfer ahead with theirs, no strikes have been made but.
In his letter, Newsom stated district maps ought to be drawn by “independent, citizen-led efforts.”
In a Monday afternoon interview with Fox Information, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to escalate his state’s redistricting plans if Newsom strikes ahead with retaliatory redistricting.
“If California thinks they’re going to move their needle to the extreme and eliminate five Republican numbers of the United States Congress there, Texas is not going to do five: We will add 10 more Republican seats using the same procedure they are using in California,” Abbott stated.
Jacob Wendler contributed to this report.
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