US lawmakers embark on Democrat redistricting plan in California

Democrats purpose to antagonistic Texas GOP measure flipping 5 Democratic seats to Republican power successful US Congress.

California authorities lawmakers person commenced enactment connected redrawn governmental maps aimed astatine giving Democrats 5 much seats successful the US Congress, countering the partisan vantage President Donald Trump hopes to summation from a Republican redistricting program successful Texas.

California Democrats, led by Governor Gavin Newsom, are pushing for fast-track transition of their redistricting effort successful the Sacramento statehouse by Friday, conscionable successful clip to spot it connected the ballot for a peculiar predetermination connected November 4.

Newsom, who enjoys a Democratic super-majority successful some houses of the authorities legislature, yet seeks elector enactment for his plan. If it succeeds, it would neutralise a Trump-backed Texas measure designed to flip 5 Democratic seats to Republican power successful the US House of Representatives.

Republicans, including Trump, person openly acknowledged that the Texas effort is astir boosting their governmental clout by helping to sphere the party’s slim House bulk successful the November 2026 midterm races. That predetermination already is shaping up arsenic intimately fought.

Democrats person characterised their bid to depart from the state’s accustomed independent, bipartisan redistricting process – adopted by voters successful 2008 – arsenic a impermanent “emergency” strategy to combat what they spot arsenic utmost Republican moves to unfairly rig the system.

“The decks are stacked against us, truthful what we request to bash is combat back,” California Senator Lena Gonzalez, a associated writer of the redistricting plan, said arsenic the authorities Senate opened level statement connected the bill.

Democrats accidental much than 70 percent of their recently drawn legislature districts were adopted from maps utilized by the autarkic committee successful formulating the existent boundaries.

Republican Senator Tony Strickland objected, saying, “These maps were drawn down closed doors.”

In the little location of the legislature, known arsenic the Assembly, Republicans sought to artifact information of different constituent of the bundle connected procedural grounds but were overruled by the Democratic leadership. That connection would amend the authorities constitution, temporarily bypassing the bipartisan commission.

Unlike the California initiative, the recently drawn territory lines successful Texas would spell into effect without elector approval, though Democrats person promised to situation the program successful court.

The Texas measurement cleared a large hurdle connected Wednesday erstwhile the authorities House of Representatives successful Austin adopted it connected an 88-52 party-line vote. The Texas Senate is expected to walk the measurement next, perchance connected Thursday. The 2 versions of the measure whitethorn past request to beryllium reconciled earlier the authorities goes to Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who has said helium volition motion it.

“Big WIN for the Great State of Texas,” Trump said connected his Truth Social platform.

Democrats and civilian rights groups accidental the caller Texas representation further dilutes the voting powerfulness of Hispanic and Black voters, violating national instrumentality that forbids redrawing governmental lines connected the ground of radical oregon taste discrimination.