California Governor Gavin Newsom has thrust his state into the center of a national political firestorm, unveiling an ambitious plan to redraw congressional voting lines in a direct response to Republican-led efforts in Texas. With the 2026 national midterms looming, Newsom’s proposal—dubbed the Election Rigging Response Act—seeks to counter what he and his allies describe as an unprecedented power grab orchestrated by former President Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
Announced on August 15, 2025, Newsom’s plan calls for a special election in November, where Californians will decide whether to authorize lawmakers to redraw congressional districts ahead of schedule. Traditionally, California’s districts are revised once every decade by an independent citizens’ commission, following the release of new population data from the U.S. Census. But this year, the stakes feel different. Newsom’s move is billed as an emergency measure, designed to neutralize a Trump-backed redistricting effort in Texas that could hand Republicans up to five additional seats in the closely divided U.S. House of Representatives.
“We’re working through a very transparent, temporary and public process,” Newsom declared at a press conference, flanked by state leaders and supporters. “We’re putting the maps on the ballot and we’re giving the power to the people. We have got to recognize the cards that we have been dealt and we have got to meet fire with fire.” According to BBC, Newsom’s plan would only trigger new maps if Texas or other states actually implement their own mid-decade changes. If those states back down, California would retain its current districts.
The proposed constitutional amendment, set for a November 4, 2025, vote, retains the existing Citizens Redistricting Commission and affirms the state’s commitment to fair, nonpartisan redistricting. But it also lays out a contingency: if Texas or other states go forward with mid-cycle redistricting, California would temporarily adopt new congressional boundaries through 2030. The legislative package includes bills to establish election procedures, create the new map, and reimburse costs to administer the special election, as reported by the Governor’s office.
This tit-for-tat strategy comes as Texas Republicans, emboldened by Trump’s demands, are pushing for their own redistricting overhaul. Democratic lawmakers in Texas have fled the state—literally—to deny the legislature the quorum needed to pass the new maps. Governor Abbott has threatened to arrest the absent Democrats and to call continuous special sessions until the proposal is approved. Trump, for his part, has publicly pressured Texas legislators to redraw the lines and even suggested he might urge Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to do the same in his state, according to BBC.
Newsom’s proposal has ignited fierce debate across the political spectrum. California Democrats have rallied behind the governor, framing the move as a necessary defense of democracy. “California will not sit idle as Trump and his Republican lapdogs shred our country’s democracy before our very eyes,” Newsom said, as quoted by the Governor’s office. “This moment calls for urgency and action – that is what we are putting before voters this November, a chance to fight back against his anti-American ways.”
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas echoed the urgency, stating, “California Democrats will not allow Trump’s Republican Party to rig the system and take permanent control of the U.S. House of Representatives. We are prepared and we will fight fire with fire.” Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire added, “Trump chose to rewrite the rules and Texas Republican leaders are all too happy to do his dirty work. We’ve seen this playbook. When Trump doesn’t have the votes to win an election, he orders others to manufacture them.”
Support for Newsom’s plan is not limited to politicians. Major labor unions, such as the California Federation of Labor Unions and SEIU California, have pledged to campaign for the redistricting effort. “California Labor is unified in our resolve to fight back against President Trump’s anti-worker agenda. We are 2.3 million union members strong and we will use our collective power to campaign for this redistricting effort and win,” said Lorena Gonzalez, President of the California Federation of Labor Unions. SEIU California President David Huerta added, “We did not choose this path, but we’re not going to let Texas and Trump manipulate our Democracy. We will fight fire with fire.”
Education and reproductive rights advocates have also weighed in. California Teachers Association President David B. Goldberg warned, “We are also now facing an unprecedented power grab by Texas and other states to steal congressional seats and rig the 2026 election in favor of the current federal administration. This is a direct and urgent attack on our democracy.” Jodi Hicks, CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, stated, “If Republicans continue to consolidate federal power, a nationwide abortion ban is not off the table. Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California is all in on supporting the state’s plan to counter Texas’ redistricting efforts.”
Yet, not all Californians are convinced. A recent Politico-Citrin Center Possibility Lab survey found that only 36% of respondents support returning redistricting authority to state lawmakers, suggesting that most Californians prefer the current independent system. This skepticism could cast uncertainty over the outcome of the November vote.
Meanwhile, the ripple effects of the California-Texas standoff are being felt nationwide. Leaders in other Democratic strongholds—New York, Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland—have voiced support for similar countermeasures if Republican-led states proceed with mid-decade redistricting. New York Governor Kathy Hochul remarked, “All’s fair in love and war. We are following the rules. We do redistricting every 10 years, but if there are other states that are violating the rules and trying to give themselves an advantage, all I say is I’ll look at it closely with Hakeem Jeffries.”
At the heart of the conflict lies the age-old American practice of gerrymandering—the redrawing of electoral boundaries to favor one party over another. While the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that partisan gerrymandering is legal as long as it does not amount to racial discrimination, critics say the current arms race threatens to erode public faith in fair elections. According to Common Cause, “This is not an isolated political tactic; it is part of a broader march toward authoritarianism, dismantling people-powered democracy, and stripping away the people’s ability to have a political voice and say in how they are governed.”
Republicans, for their part, have not been silent. Trump dismissed Newsom as “an incompetent governor” and derided the current system as riddled with “ridiculous” districts shaped like “rattlesnakes.” He has insisted that Texas is “entitled” to redraw its maps and has called for federal law enforcement to pressure Democratic lawmakers to return home and allow a vote.
As the November special election approaches, California finds itself at a crossroads. The outcome could set a precedent for how states respond to partisan redistricting efforts—and may well shape the balance of power in Congress for years to come. For now, the nation watches as two of its largest states square off in a high-stakes battle over the future of American democracy.
