California Democrats prepare redistricting effort to counter Texas GOP

Source: CBS News

Updated on: August 14, 2025 / 7:23 AM EDT


California Democrats are preparing to counter Republicans' attempt to reshape a series of Texas congressional districts for political advantage in a back and forth that could define next year's midterm elections and with it, the final two years of President Trump's second term. California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office has announced plans for a major state announcement Thursday as national tensions rage over changing congressional lines mid-decade.

Districts are usually redrawn after the decennial census. Newsom has vowed his state would respond after Texas Republicans released plans earlier this summer to redraw five seats held by Democrats and make them more favorable to the GOP. "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," Mr. Newsom said in a recent letter to the president.

Newsom's team participated in a series of conversations with the state's Democratic congressional delegation and the California Legislature as drafts of possible maps were discussed. According to U.S. Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, the conversations were initially centered on the question, "Is this even conceptually possible?"

California Democrats concluded that it was possible to gain five Democratic seats to counter Texas' gains, according to Lofgren. "I'm confident that if we need to move forward, we will do that successfully. There's tremendous unity on the Democratic side."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-democrats-gavin-newsom-redistricting-texas-gop/