California Democrats, who have long been critical of gerrymandering, appear to be on board with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to redraw their state’s congressional maps in their favor. They say they have no choice.
“So we have somebody punching you in the face. What are you going to do? Just sit there and take it? Or are you actually going to do something about it?” Rep. Jimmy Gomez told NOTUS. “We’re not going to let the Republicans steal another House majority.”
In response to the Republican-controlled Texas state Legislature last week announcing plans to redraw the state’s congressional maps and give Republicans a winning edge in the midterms, Newsom floated an idea to ditch his state’s independent redistricting system in favor of a more partisan proposal that would boost Democrats’ representation in Congress.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed openness to the idea, telling CNN on Sunday, “All options are on the table in terms of making sure that there are fair maps throughout the country.”
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Democrats from the California congressional delegation said they support the idea of redistricting in response to Texas, even though they oppose Republican efforts, because the consequences of doing nothing would be dire.
“It would be unilateral disarmament if Democrats don’t respond,” Rep. Ted Lieu said. “We may no longer have a democracy, and good government groups may no longer exist.”
Rep. Lateefah Simon said the Trump administration is “fine with taking us back to 1920s segregated America” and argued that Texas redrawing its congressional maps is a form of racial gerrymandering.
“They are using every tool in their toolbox to make sure that … folks in the South don’t have the right literally to hold up their vote,” she told NOTUS.
President Donald Trump said he wants the House GOP to add five more seats in the midterms through redistricting in Texas.
Usually, states redraw their maps every 10 years after the census is taken. But Texas is opting to redistrict mid-decade ahead of a midterm election that could be tough for Trump, given struggling approval ratings on signature issues and the historical trend of incumbent parties often losing midterm elections.
Republicans last successfully pursued similar efforts in North Carolina ahead of the 2024 elections. The state Legislature redrew its maps in 2023 and partitioned the state’s 14 House seats to 10 that favored Republicans and four that favored Democrats. (Before then, North Carolina’s House seats were split equally between Democrats and Republicans.)
Democrats back then opposed GOP redistricting plans much like they are currently. They see the 2026 midterms as an opportunity to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself.
“Reapprotionment can be legitimately done,” Rep. Maxine Waters told NOTUS. “You have to watch places like Texas, for sure, where they may be getting rid of one of the Black districts.”
Rep. Zoe Lofgren told NOTUS that Democrats have traditionally supported California’s independent redistricting commission. But, she added, if Republicans are going to play partisan games, so are Democrats.
“If Texas is going to try and take control of the redistricting, the answer can’t just be a shrug,” she said.
Democrats in New York, where party insiders are floating similar ideas in their state, are embracing redrawing their maps.
“Everybody should play by the same rules. It should be a level playing field,” Rep. Greg Meeks told NOTUS. “Everything’s got to be on the table, that’s for sure.”
Still, Democrats said a bigger focus should be winning over the districts as they already are. Lieu said Democrats should capitalize on voters’ widespread opposition to Trump’s policies and win elections in Republican districts.
“One of the reasons that Democrats flipped so many seats in 2018 was because Republicans thought that they could have a majority by having [more] districts that lean Republican. And they lost many of them in a blue wave,” he said. “And so the only way you can potentially have more [Democratic] seats is by making current Republican incumbents’ districts less safe.”
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This story was produced as part of a partnership between NOTUS and NewsWell, home of Times of San Diego, Santa Barbara News-Press and Stocktonia.
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