Gavin Newsom may call special election to redraw California congressional maps

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Fri 1 Aug 2025 13.01 EDT
Last modified on Fri 1 Aug 2025 13.35 EDT


California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, may call a special election in November to begin the process of redrawing the state’s congressional maps in response to Texas’s plans to change their own maps to help Republicans keep their majority in the House of Representatives.

Donald Trump is pushing Texas and other Republican-dominated states to carry out mid-decade redistricting that will favor the GOP and potentially stop Democrats from retaking control of the House in next year’s midterm elections. Governors in Democratic-led states have responded by warning they will move to redo their own maps if Texas goes ahead with its plans, which could create an additional five Republican-leaning districts.

California is viewed as the best opportunity for Democrats to pick up seats through gerrymandering, but voters will first have to approve changes to an independent redistricting commission that was given the power to draw congressional districts in 2010. Speaking at a Thursday press conference, Newsom said “a special election would be called, likely to be the first week of November” to approve the changes.

“We will go to the people of this state in a transparent way and ask them to consider the new circumstances, to consider these new realities,” the governor added.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/01/gavin-newsom-special-election-california-redistricting

[maxsolomon]

1. Do it.

They're trying to cement control of the House. Fire with fire.

[ALBliberal]

2. Counting on it this is our last chance

[Fiendish Thingy]

4. The control of the house will likely not depend on five gerrymandered seats in Tx

Dems will likely pick up 20-30 seats in 2026, regardless of what Texas does.

Nevertheless Dems states should respond strongly ifTexas tries to break the rules.

[Karasu]

5. There is no "if", and there are no rules. Gerrymandering isn't going anywhere as long as the GOP still exists. They're

the ones who have normalized it in spite of the law. It is vital to the continued survival of their party to an insane degree, and TX won't be the only state Trump contacts asking to do this before the election.

The response needs to be as coordinated and immediate as possible.

[usonian]

3. Gimme the ballot.

[cstanleytech]

6. You gotta fight fire with fire.

[Give Peace A Chance]

7. Bring it on!

I would LOVE to get rid of Doug LaMalfa.
The city of Chico votes for the Dem candidate But its a huge district & encompasses
all the way up north where the rednecks & meth-heads are usually found. They love him.

[EastBayGuy]

8. Thank you governor, I vote YES!

[SickOfTheOnePct]

9. Sounds good...

...but I thought the change in 2010 was a constitutional amendment - can that be undone with a simple vote?

[FBaggins]

10. It isn't just a simple vote

They’ll be amending the constitution to undo it (assuming it can pass) - which takes just a majority vote once they get to it that point.

It will take a 2/3 majority in each chamber to send it to such a vote (and also a law change to allow the vote in November) - but we have significant majorities in both chambers

Given the 2010 history, however, I’m not certain that we’ll win. But TX’s blatantly partisan move might be enough to push it through.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

12. Ah, got it - thanks!

The amendment process here in Virginia is very cumbersome, and takes a couple of years. Glad that California’s is much simpler!

[Hekate]

11. Works for me -- bring it on