Governor Gavin Newsom signs legislation calling for a special election on a redrawn congressional map in Sacramento, California. (Picture credit: AP)
California has set up a high-stakes ballot fight after lawmakers approved a redrawn congressional map aimed at boosting Democrats in next year’s elections, directly countering a Republican plan in Texas backed by US President Donald Trump.The Democratic-controlled Legislature passed the bills on Thursday, and Governor Gavin Newsom swiftly signed them, also calling a special election for 4 November for voters to approve the changes. “This is not something six weeks ago that I ever imagined that I’d be doing,” Newsom said at a press conference, calling the move a reaction to “an assault on our democracy in Texas,” as reported by news agency AP.The plan is designed to help Democrats pick up five additional House seats, while Republicans in Texas are advancing a map with the same goal for themselves. According to the New York Times, Trump has urged Republican-led states, including Indiana, Missouri and Ohio to pursue similar mid-decade redraws in an attempt to secure a stronger GOP majority in the 2026 midterms.Republicans in California have fiercely opposed the governor’s approach. James Gallagher, the Republican minority leader in the state Assembly, said Trump was “wrong” to push for new GOP seats but warned Newsom’s “fight fire with fire” strategy was reckless. “You move forward fighting fire with fire, and what happens? You burn it all down,” he told colleagues, as quoted by The New York Times.The proposal would temporarily replace the maps drawn by California’s independent redistricting commission, a system approved by voters in 2008 and 2010 to keep politics out of the process. IIf voters approve, the new map will last until 2030, after which authority to draw districts would revert to the commission.Democrats argue that the move is necessary to balance out partisan tactics elsewhere. “What do we do, just sit back and do nothing? Or do we fight back?” state senator Lena Gonzalez asked during the debate, as per AP.Former President Barack Obama has endorsed Newsom’s push, saying during a fundraiser this week that while he usually supports nonpartisan redistricting, this was “a smart, measured approach” given Texas’s actions.But opposition is mounting. Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who helped establish California’s commission, has said that he’ll oppose any redistricting changes. Wealthy donors like Charles Munger Jr have also promised to defend the system during the fall campaign, according to The New York Times.
