Gavin Newsom's Warning to Donald Trump Over Plan for Texas Republicans
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California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a warning to President Donald Trump and Texas Republicans amid growing attempts at redrawing Texas's congressional districts to further favor Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms.
A spokesperson for Newsom told Newsweek his office is "closely tracking what Texas does" and "exploring potential options."
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Democrats are increasingly optimistic about their chances of retaking control of the House of Representatives next November. Trump's approval rating has struggled in many recent polls, and the party in the White House historically loses seats during the midterms.
Texas Republicans, however, are eyeing a plan to limit losses by redrawing the state's Congressional boundaries to benefit the party. Trump on Tuesday said he would like to see five new GOP seats in Texas, according to reporting by Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News. If Republicans move forward with that plan, it could cost Democrats seats in Congress, fueling calls for Democrats to do the same in their states.
What to Know
Newsom on Tuesday responded to a post on X from Sherman about the Texas plan by simply writing, "Two can play this game."
Currently, Democrats hold 43 of California's Congressional seats, while Republicans hold only nine seats. Trump, meanwhile, received 38 percent of the state's votes. On the other hand, in Texas, Republicans currently hold 25 seats compared to Democrats' 13 seats. Texas is closer than California, with Harris receiving 42 percent of the vote last November.
California Governor Gavin Newsom attends a campaign event on July 4, 2024 in South Haven, Michigan.
California Governor Gavin Newsom attends a campaign event on July 4, 2024 in South Haven, Michigan.In Texas, there are currently two Democrats representing Trump-won districts in the southernmost part of the state, a Hispanic-heavy area that shifted toward Republicans over the past decade. They may also target Democratic seats in suburbs of cities like Dallas and Houston.
Meanwhile, in California, there are four GOP-held seats that Trump only narrowly carried, and two Democrats representing Trump-won districts, which could see new boundaries.
Notably, California has an independent redistricting commission that could be a roadblock to redrawing the state's maps. When reached by Newsweek, a state GOP spokesperson pointed to an X post from commentator Rob Pyers that noted the potential legal challenge.
"California's congressional maps are drawn by an independent redistricting commission that was enshrined in the state's constitution by voters in a 2010 proposition that passed by over 20%, so any changes to this will require first going to voters to abolish the commission," Pyers wrote.
Newsom told The Tennessee Holler last week that Republicans are playing by a "totally different set of rules," and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, calling for a special session for redistricting made him question "that entire program," referring to the independent commission.
What People Are Saying
Trump told reporters on Tuesday: "No, no. just a very simple redrawing. We pick up five seats. But we have a couple of other states where we will pick up seats also."
Representative Laura Friedman, a California Democrat, wrote to X: "Absolutely. California can lead the nation in fighting back against their crass & selfish strategy to undermine democracy. They are publicly putting their partisan fingers on the scale and overriding the wishes of the public. California can balance those scales."
Sara Sadhwani, a commissioner on the independent redistricting board, told The San Francisco Chronicle: "In this national context, I can understand the governor's inclination to want to retaliate. However the people of California have made it clear at the ballot that the governor does not have that power."
What Happens Next
The Texas legislature will meet on July 21 to begin its special session and address redistricting. Whether California or other Democratic states respond will be seen over the coming years. There are other ongoing redistricting battles in states like Ohio and Utah that could have key implications for the midterms.
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