California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched an aggressive campaign against President Donald Trump over redistricting battles happening across the country. The Democratic governor announced plans to redraw California’s congressional maps in response to Republican efforts in Texas and other red states. This move could have major effects on who controls the House of Representatives after the 2026 midterm elections.
The conflict started when Trump’s political team pushed Texas Republicans to redraw their state’s congressional districts in the middle of the decade. This rare move could help Republicans gain up to five more House seats before the 2026 elections. Currently, Republicans hold a slim majority in the House with 25 of Texas’s 38 seats.
In response to Trump’s silence on his demands to stop the redistricting efforts, Newsom announced that California would move forward with its own map changes. The governor said the new maps would be the “final nail” in Trump’s career and warned “it won’t be pretty for Donnie J.” Newsom’s office has been using Trump’s own social media style, writing in all caps and ending posts with “THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER” to mock the president’s communication methods.
Texas Democrats flee state to block Republican redistricting plan
More than 50 Texas House Democrats left their state to stop the Republican redistricting plan from moving forward. By leaving Texas, these lawmakers denied Republicans the number of people needed to hold votes in the state legislature. This tactic, called breaking quorum, has put the redistricting effort on hold for over a week. The Democrats traveled to Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts to stay away from Texas.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has responded by threatening to arrest the Democratic lawmakers who fled the state. The Republican governor issued civil arrest warrants for the missing Democrats and is asking the state Supreme Court to remove some members from their seats. Missing lawmakers are also facing $500 daily fines for their absence.
The Texas Senate approved the new congressional lines in a 19-2 vote on Tuesday, with nine Democrats walking out in protest. The proposed map targets Democratic House members in districts around Austin, Dallas, Houston, and South Texas. If passed, the new lines could force some Democratic representatives to run against each other in primary elections.
The redistricting battle has spread to other states as Democratic governors promise to fight back with their own map changes. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said “the gloves are off” and promised to gerrymander her state’s map in response. Illinois and Maryland leaders have also suggested they will redraw their congressional districts if Texas moves forward with its plan.
California’s proposed response would put a constitutional amendment before voters in November. The measure would temporarily give the state legislature power to redraw district lines instead of using the current independent commission. Newsom said California could gain as many as five House seats if voters approve the measure, which would match what Texas stands to gain.
The national fight over redistricting could decide which party controls Congress after 2026. Democrats only need to gain three House seats to win back control of the House of Representatives. This would allow Democrats to block Trump’s legislative agenda and potentially open new investigations into his administration. The battle represents one of the biggest threats to Republican power as Trump faces an already challenging political landscape heading into the midterm elections.
Published: Aug 15, 2025 03:51 am