Overview: California lawmakers, including Governor Gavin Newsom, have welcomed Texas Democrats to Sacramento to back plans for redrawing California’s congressional maps ahead of the midterm elections. The move is in response to efforts by Texas Republicans to redraw their maps, potentially gaining five seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The proposal could add five congressional districts favorable to Democrats, potentially reducing Republican seats from nine to four out of 52. The California legislature is currently in recess until August 18, and lawmakers have five days upon return to officially initiate a special election.
Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
“California cannot sit back and let that happen. We have a responsibility to step up. We are going to step up,” said Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights).
Bryan was speaking at a news conference in Sacramento where Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate President pro tem Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg), Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas), U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, and other state lawmakers welcomed Texas Democrats to Sacramento to back plans for redrawing California’s congressional maps ahead of the midterm elections.
Bryan said where he’s from in Los Angeles, “When they go low, we squabble up.”
“That doesn’t mean we are abandoning our values, continued Bryan. “We are not doing away with the independent commission that we establish every single decade, but we are meeting this moment because this is not a turn-the-other-cheek moment while they continue to send blow after blow to the foundations of our democracy.
The move to redraw California’s electoral maps comes in response to efforts by Texas Republicans to redraw their maps, potentially gaining five seats in the U.S. House of Representatives — a reported request from President Donald Trump to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
“They will lose in the midterms and (Trump) knows it. Why else would he make that phone call,” Newsom said. “His agenda is failing. His presidency is failing. He knows the headwinds in a midterm. He’s dialing for seats.”
Texas State Representatives Rhetta Bowers, Gina Hinojosa, Ann Johnson, Ray Lopez, Mary Ann Perez, and Vince Perez were in attendance, along with U.S. Rep Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18) and several California state legislators.
The news conference took place at the California Governor’s Mansion Historic Park, a site that served as the official residence for California governors for over 60 years, located a short drive from the State Capitol.
Newsom is looking ahead to a special election on Nov. 4, 2025, where voters will consider the redistricting measure. The proposal could add five congressional districts favorable to Democrats, potentially reducing Republican seats from nine to four out of 52.
In California, the redrawing of Congressional, State Senate, and State Assembly district lines is managed by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CCRC), an independent 14-member body, according to the California Secretary of State. The commission uses U.S. Census data to redraw the lines.
Newsom and the Democrats’ plan would override California’s independent redistricting commission maps.
The California legislature is currently in recess until Aug. 18. Lawmakers have five days upon return to officially initiate a special election. At the news conference, Rivas said redistricting maps would be released the week of Aug. 11, 2025.
Afterward, the public will have ample time to review the maps in the lead-up to the special election.
“We are going above and beyond to ensure we are protecting the Voters’ Rights Act and sending the voices of our most vulnerable to Washington, D.C.,” Rivas said.
Before the 2026 midterms, at least 13 states may consider redistricting, with Texas, California, Florida, and Ohio leading the changes in Congressional representation.
Pelosi voiced her support for the Texas Democrats who left the state to block the vote, saying Republicans are not committed to the electoral process.
“The Republicans are acting because they have a bankruptcy of ideas,” Pelosi said. “They have no winning ideas to present to the American people, and they cannot defend their actions legitimately.”
On Aug. 3, 2025, a majority of the 62 Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives left the state to prevent the Republican-controlled Legislature from passing new U.S. House maps.
To conduct legislative business, the Texas House requires a quorum of 100 of its 150 members. Some Democrats fled to Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts. Gov. Abbott has called for their arrest due to the walkout.
“We can tell they are desperate. They are throwing everything at us they can,” Texas Democratic State Representative Ann Johnson said at the news conference with California lawmakers.
Some California Republican U.S. House members, such as Reps. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-1) and Kevin Kiley (R-CA-3), could face tough challenges if their districts are redrawn with Democratic-leaning boundaries.
Last week, Kiley introduced legislation to ban mid-decade redistricting nationwide. H.R. 4889 would nullify new maps adopted after the November 2024 election and preserve current maps.
“A nationwide redistricting war is not what our country needs,” Kiley stated. “The resulting chaos would be harmful to representative government and a distraction from the important issues facing Congress and state legislatures. I’m calling on House leadership to give my bill a vote as soon as we return to session.”
