Playbook PM: The next round in the redistricting race

Politico

16 hours ago

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THE CATCH-UP
ANYBODY HAVE A MAP?: Texas Democrats are set to return to the Lone Star State, ending their quorum break now that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has wrapped up the legislature's initial special session. But the Democrats are returning to a second special session, gaveled in by Abbott today, and once they do, Republicans' new maps — which aim to carve out five new GOP seats — are fated to pass.
Abbott blasted the 'delinquent' Democrats in a statement, noting lawmakers will once again take up GOP-proposed congressional maps, along with a slew of other Republican priorities in the new special session. 'We will not back down from this fight. That's why I am calling them back today to finish the job. I will continue to use all necessary tools to ensure Texas delivers results for Texans,' Abbott wrote.
It's the latest display of Abbott's zealousness in President Donald Trump's second presidency as he continues to notch political wins in the deep-red state. 'The third-term governor appears determined to win any battle — even if it means scorched-earth primary crusades or trying to boot duly elected legislators from office,' The Texas Tribune's Alejandro Serrano reports.
Meanwhile, Texas Democrats spun the first session's end as a win. 'After we issued our conditions to return home yesterday, Texas Republicans have given in and ended their corrupt special session,' they wrote on X. Democrats' second condition hinged on California's push for voters in the state to approve new congressional maps — which Gov. Gavin Newsom hopes will provide a counterweight to the efforts in Texas.
GOING TO CALIFORNIA: Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has reemerged in the Golden State, working behind the scenes to rally Republican support against California Democrats' gerrymandering ballot measure, POLITICO's Blake Jones scoops. 'McCarthy recently told his former home-state congressional delegation that he's aiming to raise $100 million' for an opposition campaign.
California Democrats were briefed last night on the new proposed boundaries of the state's 52 congressional districts, with Paul Mitchell presenting lawmakers with slides of the map, per our California Playbook colleagues.
More on Mitchell: Known statewide as a top data nerd, Mitchell has become the backbone of Newsom's planned mid-decade redraw and remains 'one of the rare few in the state with the skills to execute what is now a lost art — using technology to carve California's natural and human geography into electorally useful units — and those who know him say he is uniquely suited to weather the pressures that accompany it,' POLITICO's Will McCarthy writes.
HOOSIER HOOPLA: White House officials are privately ramping up the pressure on Indiana Republicans to launch their own redistricting bid in the Hoosier State, POLITICO's Adam Wren and Andrew Howard scoop. White House Intergovernmental Affairs Director Alex Meyer in his personal capacity has reached out to 'several lawmakers' on the topic, while the White House has invited Indiana Republicans to meet in D.C: 'More than four dozen — including the state House speaker and Senate president — have agreed to attend and two have declined.'
Forward America, a dark money group, appears to be behind an effort in the state urging voters to voice their support for redistricting to elected officials. A recent robocall 'received by a POLITICO reporter living in Indiana accuses Democratic Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and Kathy Hochul of New York of using redistricting with a goal of 'ending the Trump presidency' and urges listeners to call GOP state Rep. David Hall and tell him to back the effort. … 'We can stop these radicals by doing our own redistricting here in Indiana,' the call said.' Listen to the call
Happy Friday afternoon from the Lone Star State. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at [e-mail].
7 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. ALL EYES ON ALASKA: Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet face-to-face in just a few hours in Anchorage to discuss a possible ceasefire in Ukraine. Here's the latest:
2. DISTRICT DISARRAY: D.C. AG Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit in federal court today challenging both Trump and AG Pam Bondi's separate orders this week attempting to federalize the city's police force, with further legal action expected as soon as this afternoon, POLITICO's Nicole Markus and Kyle Cheney report. In an emergency filing to block Bondi's order, the District AG argues that the administration is 'abusing its limited, temporary authority' under D.C.'s Home Rule Act and 'infringing on the District's right to self-governance.' The suit also alleges Trump does not have the authority to remove or replace the chief of police or 'determine how the District pursues purely local law enforcement.'
More from Schwalb: 'This is the gravest threat to Home Rule D.C. has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it,' Schwalb wrote in a thread on X. 'In D.C.'s 52 years of Home Rule, no President has tried invoking this authority. Until this week.'
The filing marks the most direct opposition from city officials — including Mayor Muriel Bowser — who had until now largely been skirting around standing up against the White House's takeover. Though Bowser ramped up her criticism following Bondi's order, the mayor previously said the 'surge of officers enhances our MPD forces on a temporary basis.'
3. DEEP IN THE HEART: The Texas Senate race is heating up again, with a buzzy new poll showing longtime Sen. John Cornyn closing the gap in the Republican primary against AG Ken Paxton, who has been leading early polling. A new Emerson College poll shows Cornyn and Paxton locked in a virtual dead heat.
By the numbers: In a sample of 500 voters between Monday and Tuesday, Cornyn holds a slight edge in the numbers, with 30 percent of voters surveyed backing him while Paxton sits at 29 percent. The cold water dump: The leading number in the poll is the 37 percent of voters who remain undecided in the race.
Redistricting returns: Texas voters are split on the proposal to redraw the state's congressional map ahead of midterms, according to the Emerson polling: 38 percent oppose the effort, with 36 percent supporting and 26 percent unsure.
4. LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS: The White House has created an official 'scorecard' rating hundreds of companies and trade associations on their support and promotion of Republicans' sprawling tax and spending legislation that Trump recently signed into law, Axios' Mike Allen scoops. The scorecard ranks 533 companies' 'strong, moderate or low' support of the bill based on factors such as 'social media posts, press releases, video testimonials, ads, attendance at White House events, and other engagement.' Uber, DoorDash, United, Delta, AT&T, Cisco, Airlines for America and the Steel Manufacturers Association have all been deemed 'examples of good partners' on the list.
5. TAKING STOCK: New financial disclosures show that the president has some major financial stakes in both Apple and Nvidia, both companies that have 'recently benefited from special concessions Trump has made to tech companies,' WaPo's Eva Dou and Clara Ence Morse report. The president's latest investment filings show he 'owned between $615,000 and $1.3 million in Nvidia shares at the end of last year, and $650,000 to $1.35 million of Apple stock.' The reporting comes after the White House confirmed a controversial deal with Nvidia this week. Though the president's portfolio raises eyebrows around conflicts of interest, there's no direct evidence 'that he has made policy decisions based on his personal stock earnings.'
Related read: 'Intel shares jump after reports US govt may buy stake,' by Semafor's Tom Chivers
6. IMMIGRATION FILES: Internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement documents show how ICE authorities, boosted by a $45 billion new budget, are considering 'opening or expanding 125 facilities this year,' potentially doubling the capacity of the country's immigrant detention system to hold more than 107,000 people, WaPo's Douglas MacMillan and colleagues scoop. 'The road map, last updated July 30, shows that ICE intends to expand immigrant detention to new parts of the country … relying increasingly on makeshift 'soft-sided' structures that can be built in a few weeks and taken down just as easily.'
A familiar target: 'The government is also planning to dramatically expand its capacity for detaining parents and children in what could amount to the nation's largest family detention program in decades.' Authorities are focused on expanding facilities in (and beyond) existing ones in Texas, Georgia, California and Louisiana, with 'new facilities in Texas alone expected to double the state's capacity to almost 38,000 beds by year-end.'
7. SCHOOL DAZE: 'The Trump campaign promise that doesn't have the votes,' by POLITICO's Mackenzie Wilkes: '[C]losing the Education Department requires congressional approval. And despite being a target of conservative ire since its founding, shutting it down may be a tough sell for Republicans with poor school districts and states that depend on its legal guidance, civil rights enforcement and other support. That need for careful calculus has made it clear to the two top GOP education leaders on Capitol Hill that a more 'rational' and piecemeal deconstruction of the agency is necessary.'
TALK OF THE TOWN
Kristi Noem is living for free in a military home typically reserved for the U.S. Coast Guard's top admiral because of reported safety concerns, per WaPo.
Adam Schiff is investigating the river-raising for JD Vance's birthday kayak trip in Ohio, per NBC's Frank Thorp.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is prepping for the map battle in California, donning a colorful shirt that includes the phrase, 'TERMINATE GERRYMANDERING.'
TRANSITIONS — Joetta Appiah is now deputy press secretary for Rep. Haley Stevens' (D-Mich.) Senate campaign. She previously was a public affairs associate at SKDK and is a Kamala Harris alum. … Peter Owens is now campaign manager for Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa). He previously was campaign manager for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds for the 2026 cycle before she decided not to seek reelection and is an NRCC and Don Bacon alum. …
… Michael Linnington will be CEO of the United Service Organizations. He currently is a consultant and is a Wounded Warrior Project and U.S. Army alum. … Sen. Mark Kelly's (D-Ariz.) political team has added Mairead Cahill as national political director and Taylor Hawkins as national finance director. Cahill previously was battleground political director for the Harris campaign, and is a Biden campaign, DNC and Maine Democratic Party alum. Hawkins previously was the national finance director for Sen. Bob Casey's (D-Pa.) 2024 reelect.
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