California Democrats hold hearings on new congressional map to counter Trump-backed redistricting
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Californians had their first chance Tuesday to tell lawmakers how they feel about a partisan plan to win Democrats more U.S. House seats by making a new political map in response to a Republican redistricting effort in Texas that President Donald Trump wants.
California Democrats said they are pushing back against Trump and his desire to reshape U.S. House maps to his advantage in an expanding fight over control of Congress ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The California Legislature is expected to approve a proposed congressional map and declare a Nov. 4 special election by Thursday to get required voter approval.
In Texas, state Rep. Nicole Collier stayed at the Capitol overnight and into Tuesday to protest a Republican requirement that she and some of her Democratic colleagues have around-the-clock law enforcement surveillance after they ended a two-week walkout that delayed a vote on the Trump-backed map.
State Department of Public Safety officers are shadowing the lawmakers to ensure they return to the Capitol and do not leave Texas again. To leave the House floor Monday, the Democrats had to sign what they called “permission slips” agreeing to the surveillance.
https://apnews.com/article/texas-redistricting-democrats-police-california-3459806da6c593d5ffcbe6891551fd7e