‘Two can play that game': Newsom hits Trump push to gain House seats
'Trump said he's going to steal 5 Congressional seats in Texas and gerrymander his way into a 2026 win. Well, two can play that game,' he wrote in a post on X, linking to a clip of his experience on 'Pod Save America' in which he weighed several options on potential redistricting in his state.
'Special sessions. Special elections. Ballot initiatives. New laws. It's all on the table when democracy is on the line,' he added.
Trump said on Tuesday that he thinks the Lone Star State can nab five seats for Republicans after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) called for a special session later this month, which includes redistricting, among other priorities.
'And there could be some other states we're going to get another three, or four or five in addition. Texas would be the biggest one,' Trump said.
The president suggested he was fine with allowing Democratic states to redraw their own lines, opening the door to other blue states conducting mid-cycle redistricting. The push comes as Republicans are bracing for an unfavorable midterm environment, in which the president's party typically faces headwinds.
California has an independent commission, which creates the state's maps. The independent commission was borne out of a 2008 ballot measure that voters passed, later updated in 2010.
Whatever solution Newsom chooses to pursue, he would have to contend with working round the independent commission or getting rid of it altogether.
'I'm talking to members of my legislature, whatever our alternatives, we could do a special session. I could call for one today, if I chose to, we could then put something on the ballot, and I could call a special election,' Newsom said on the 'Pod Save America' podcast.
'We can change the constitution with the consent of the voters, and I think we would win that. I think people understand what's at stake in California.'
He also suggested they're looking into the legal question of whether or not the independent commission has to be involved during mid-cycle redistricting.
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