‘Tired of Democracy dying': Newsom redistricting push faces GOP backlash over voter rights
By Peter Pinedo
Published August 19, 2025
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom's redistricting effort is receiving pushback from Republicans in the state assembly who are accusing the Democrats of keeping them in the dark and of "disenfranchising Californians."
GOP Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo, vice chair of the California State Assembly Committee on Elections, slammed Democrats for giving her "barely 24 hours" to examine the redistricting bill before a Tuesday hearing – while Democrats, she claimed, had advance notice.
Macedo vowed to defeat the redistricting push, saying, "We are in the super-minority, but we are effective, and we will defeat this."
She added that by the time she received the bill's language as vice chair of the elections committee, several Democratic co-authors signed on. That, she argued, meant Democrats had a first look, while she had "barely 24 hours before committee tomorrow to prepare."
CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS SUE TO STOP NEWSOM, DEMOCRATS FROM PUSHING REDISTRICTING PLAN
Macedo warned that witnesses appearing at Tuesday's hearing could face legal consequences if they refused to answer her questions.
"Let me warn anybody who will be testifying tomorrow. If you don't answer my questions tomorrow, attorneys will be making sure you answer them in a courtroom," she said, adding, "You can run, but you cannot hide."
Despite Democrats dominating California politics, Macedo pledged, "We are not backing down from this fight."
"You are disenfranchising Californians, and we are tired of democracy dying here," she said. "We will fight back."
She added that if Republicans are not able to stop the redistricting plans in the assembly, then their victory will be "in a courtroom or it will be at the ballot box."
NEWSOM-BACKED HIGH-SPEED RAIL 'BOONDOGGLE' HIT WITH NEW HOUSE INVESTIGATION
Four GOP state lawmakers have filed a lawsuit in California's Supreme Court to stop the Democrat-controlled legislature from holding a vote by the end of this week to advance the redistricting push.
Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez, one of the four Republicans behind the suit, told Fox News Digital that she joined the lawsuit because "Californians have already spoken clearly at the ballot box."
"In 2008, voters approved Proposition 11 to take redistricting power away from politicians and give it to an independent citizens' commission," she said. "Two years later, with Proposition 20, voters doubled down and expanded that power to include congressional districts, passing it by a decisive 61% to 39%. Governor Newsom's plan is a direct attempt to undo that mandate and put politicians back in control. I'm standing up because this isn't about partisan advantage; it's about respecting the will of the voters who demanded fairness and transparency."
Newsom announced he would advance a redistricting map in California to counter the Texas redistricting bill being pushed by President Donald Trump. On Friday, California Democrats and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released a new district map that would likely eliminate five GOP congressional seats, theoretically nullifying the five additional seats Republicans would gain if Texas' redistricting push is successful.
HERE ARE THE 5 GOP HOUSE SEATS THAT COULD BE WIPED OUT WITH NEWSOM'S CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING PLAN
The California legislature introduced a constitutional amendment on Monday to be brought to a referendum vote in November. If passed by California voters, the amendment would allow the legislature to temporarily suspend its nonpartisan districting commission and move forward with its redistricting plans as laid out by the DCCC.
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Newsom's office declined Fox News Digital's request for comment, with a spokesperson saying he would "point you to the Legislature given this is about the legislative process."
Fox News Digital also reached out to the office of Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, a Democrat, but did not receive a response by the time of publication. Print Close
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