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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Newsom says California to draw congressional maps to 'END TRUMP PRESIDENCY'
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said California will move forward with drawing new congressional maps that he said "WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY" and allow Democrats to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives. "DONALD 'TACO' TRUMP, AS MANY CALL HIM, 'MISSED' THE DEADLINE!!! CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE 'BEAUTIFUL MAPS,' THEY WILL BE HISTORIC AS THEY WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY (DEMS TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!)," Newsom wrote Tuesday night, in a post written in the style of President Donald Trump's occasionally all-caps social media posts. The announcement comes amid Texas Republicans' efforts to redraw congressional maps in their party's favor. The redistricting showdown in Texas has led blue states to threaten to retaliate -- with Newsom proposing to cut five GOP-held seats in California. MORE: Texas Democrats to return after governor ends special session that included redistricting, sources say The redistricting battle in Texas -- and potentially other states -- has national implications, with control of the U.S. House potentially at stake. The Texas GOP's proposed congressional map could net Republicans between three and five seats in next year's midterm elections -- seats that could make a difference as Republicans work to maintain their small majority in the U.S. House. A spokesperson for California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas confirmed to ABC News that the state legislature is aiming to release draft maps on Friday. MORE: Texas redistricting: What's at stake as Republicans aim to pick up 5 House seats Newsom's post did not offer any details on the maps or how he plans to get them approved, although Newsom has said previously he would consider trying to have maps on the ballot in a special election in November. The California governor said he would be part of a press conference this week with "powerful" Democrats, but didn't offer details about who would be in attendance. Newsom sent a letter to Trump on Monday asking the president to tell Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican governors to abandon efforts to draw new congressional maps. Texas Democrats have fled the state in protest of the maps. The Texas House of Representatives was once again unable to reach a quorum Tuesday. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said that the House will convene once again on Friday, adding if there's no quorum by then, Abbott will adjourn the current session and call a second special session to begin immediately.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
7 states most likely to follow Texas in redistricting
A redistricting arms race is heating up around the country as other states look to follow Texas's lead in redrawing their congressional lines ahead of the 2026 midterms. Multiple Democratic and Republican governors have expressed interest in their states conducting their own redistricting process to add as many seats as they can for their parties and increase the chances that their party can win control of the House next year. But whether they will be able to depends on the state and its own unique rules. Here are the seven states most likely to follow Texas in redistricting: Ohio Ohio is the only state in the country, even including Texas, already guaranteed to redraw its district lines as it's in a bit of a different situation than the others. State lawmakers are required to approve a new map ahead of the midterms because the current map, in place since 2022, was only approved by a simple majority along party lines rather than a bipartisan supermajority. But with Republicans firmly in control of both houses of the state legislature, the party still seems likely to pick up a few seats with the next map. The two Democratic lawmakers most likely to potentially lose their seats in the process are Reps. Marcy Kaptur and Emilia Sykes in the 9th and 13th Congressional districts. So while Republicans already occupy 10 of the 15 House seats that Ohio has, they could still pick up a few more. California California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has been arguably the most visible Democrat in responding to Republicans' efforts to use redistricting, and the Golden State seems to be the party's best chance to pick up the most seats if Texas approves a new map. The process for California to redraw its lines in time for the 2026 midterms is a bit complicated — but possible. The state has an independent redistricting commission that determines its district lines, but Newsom confirmed on Friday the state would move forward with a special election in November that would allow them to create a new map in place for the rest of the decade. The independent commission would remain intact for the reapportionment after the 2030 census, and a new map would only be used if Texas or another state redraws its lines first. But presuming Texas does redistrict, Newsom and state Democrats appear committed to advancing a plan that could gain their party up to five seats. Florida The Sunshine State is the other significant source of possible gains for the GOP through redistricting, and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has been increasingly hinting at the state GOP following Texas's footsteps to add more Republican seats. Florida state House Speaker Daniel Perez (R) announced on Thursday that he would form a redistricting committee to explore possible maps and legal questions associated with how the lines are drawn. But he didn't specify the timeline for redistricting, saying the committee's members would be announced next month. But a few Democrats could be targeted if the process advances, including Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Jared Moskowitz and Darren Soto. And Republicans are feeling particularly emboldened after the state Supreme Court upheld the current map against claims of racial gerrymandering. Indiana Along with the big-ticket states that could give the GOP multiple extra seats, the Trump administration is also putting pressure on smaller states that could net only one seat. Vice President Vance visited Indianapolis on Thursday for a meeting with Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) to discuss mid-decade redistricting. Braun didn't commit to redistricting following the meeting, but he left the door open. Meanwhile, Trump's allies were reportedly exploring options in Indiana late last month. Braun would need to call a special session of the legislature and Republicans would have to move quickly, but the party has a supermajority. If approved, a new map would most likely target Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-Ind.) in the northwestern part of the state. Missouri Missouri is another state where Republicans theoretically could pick off another Democratic-held seat if the party members want to push forward. The administration has also put pressure on the GOP in the state, with Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) as the likely target, but the reaction from state lawmakers has been mixed. State House Speaker Pro Tempore Chad Perkins initially expressed doubt about redistricting early, but he showed more openness to it after receiving a call from the White House. But state Senate President Pro Tempore Cindy O'Laughlin told The Missouri Independent that she also wasn't too eager about the plan, and Perkins expressed concern about possible backlash to Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) calling a special session. New York New York Democrats seem just as determined as their California counterparts to update their district lines, but their chances of being able to update them before next year's elections seem slim. The Empire State also uses an independent commission to draw its lines, with approval from the state legislature. State lawmakers can propose a constitutional amendment to voters to change the system, but any amendment needs to pass in two consecutive sessions of the legislature before being proposed to voters. This would mean that no change could go into effect until ahead of the 2028 elections at the earliest. But Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has pledged to look at all available options, acknowledging the time constraints and wanting a faster timeline. She said the independent commission should be disbanded or changed, and she would also look at litigation options. New Jersey The Garden State would be an ideal spot for Democrats to try to pick up a seat or two, but barriers put in place will likely make this not possible before the midterms. New Jersey also has an independent commission that lawmakers would need to go around to enact a new map, but its state constitution also specifically prohibits mid-decade redistricting. Both of these could be overcome with a constitutional amendment, and Democrats have comfortable control of both houses of the state legislature, but likely not enough time remains to change it in advance. The public needs a three-month notice period before voting on an amendment, which means this past Monday was the deadline for getting it passed ahead of Election Day on Nov. 4. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas lawmakers breaking quorum backed by fellow Democrats in California
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared shoulder-to-shoulder Friday with Texas Democratic lawmakers in a show of support for their nearly weeklong walkout, which has blocked a vote on congressional redistricting maps sought by President Donald Trump in a widening national battle over U.S. House control. (AP Video: Haven Daley)
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats seek to fight fire with fire on redistricting
Democrats on Capitol Hill are pressing blue-state governors to redraw their House lines in response to a similar push by Texas Republicans, warning it's the party's only chance to flip control of the lower chamber — and provide a check on President Trump — after next year's midterms. The Democrats are quick to maintain that mid-decade redistricting — a rare move defying the traditional decennial process — is a rotten trend to emulate and a bad precedent to set. But the urgency in what Democrats see as an existential fight against Trump demands a bending of the rules, they say, to fight fire with fire. 'If the Republicans are going to redistrict in the middle of the decade, then we have no choice but to do the same,' said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.). 'Because to do otherwise would be unilateral disarmament.' California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is already heading in that direction, saying he's weighing multiple options for how the state can redraw its lines to counter the Texas GOP. And there's speculation that Democratic leaders in several other blue states, including Illinois and New York, are assessing whether to follow suit. As those discussions evolve, House Democrats say they're facing two bad options: Either they stick to their favored tradition of once-a-decade redistricting and watch Republicans, with a boost from Texas, keep control of the House in 2027, or they hold their noses and adopt the mid-decade remapping to neutralize the changes coming from Austin. Given the stakes, many are leaning toward the latter. 'It's a race to the bottom, and I wish we weren't in this place,' said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). 'But they have sort of forced the conversation, and I think you can understand why California and some other places feel like they've got no choice but to consider something like that.' 'I mean, are we just going to sit back and take it?' Trump fired off the first salvo this month when he said he was vying to pick up five seats in Texas as Gov. Greg Abbott (R) holds a special session next week to consider redistricting, among other priorities. Republicans in Washington are bracing for the traditional headwinds that accompany the president's party in power during midterm seasons, and a midcycle map redrawing in deep-red Texas could help blunt the Republicans' losses next year. The move quickly infuriated Democrats, who saw Trump and Republicans as trying to game the system and preserve their slim House majority, before Democrats decided to change their tune and try to offset potential Republican gains by considering midcycle redistricting in blue states. 'We can act holier than thou. We can sit on the sidelines, talk about the way the world should be,' Newsom told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday. 'Or we can recognize the existential nature that is this moment.' California uses an independent redistricting commission to draw the state's maps, a body that was initially borne out of a ballot measure that state voters approved in 2008, and that was later updated in 2010. Newsom has floated several ideas of how Democrats could tackle midcycle redistricting around the independent commission: One would be to create a constitutional amendment to go before voters, which would likely address the independent redistricting body, so that lawmakers could redraw the House maps. Another would be what he described as a 'novel legal question,' which would ultimately end in lawmakers crafting the lines themselves on the idea that the state constitution doesn't say anything about what happens during midcycle redistricting. Members of California's congressional delegation have signaled they're on board even if their initial preference is to adhere to the independent redistricting commission. 'It's out of my hands, it's not really my choice or my process, but I do think that Democrats need to stop bringing [a] butter knife to a gunfight,' said Rep. Dave Min (D-Calif.), who represents a competitive House seat. 'All of us want to see a fair process, but if Republicans are going to try to cheat and redistrict, I think Democratic states need to consider all options,' he added. Huffman said Democrats in California could 'easily' pick up three or four seats through redistricting — and 'maybe more.' As Newsom plots his next move, some Democrats say other blue states should jump on board. Torres said New York laws would make the process tricky, but he's pushing for it all the same, 'to the extent that we can legally.' 'New York is more complicated because of the state constitution,' he said. 'But if Republicans are going to exhaust every means of building political power, then we should reciprocate.' Asked if New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) is considering a midcycle redistricting push, her senior communications adviser Jerrel Harvey told The Hill in a statement: 'Governor Hochul is closely monitoring the redistricting developments in Texas and any potential implications they may have.' In Illinois, some Democrats are singing a similar tune, arguing that Texas's moves demand a retaliatory response that might include new maps in Springfield. 'Given the extremity of what Texas is considering, it can't be ruled out,' said Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.). 'They're dismantling the Voting Rights Act and disenfranchising communities that have been protected in the past, given their historic disenfranchisement.' 'We need to look at all possible recourse to keep the playing field as level as possible,' he added. The official justification for the Texas redistricting was provided by Trump's Department of Justice (DOJ), which sent a July 7 letter to Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton saying the district lines are illegal because race was a factor in how they were drawn. The suggestion was that the process discriminated against white voters. Four districts in particular 'currently constitute unconstitutional 'coalition districts' and we urge the State of Texas to rectify these race-based considerations,' Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general of the DOJ's civil rights division, wrote to the Texas officials. Democrats say that argument strains credulity, since it was Abbott and GOP legislators who drew the current lines just four years ago. They're accusing Republicans of abusing their authority — and diluting the minority vote — in a brazen effort to 'rig' the map to stay in power because they couldn't win otherwise. 'It's painfully clear why Republicans are doing this. They know they are going to lose the majority next year,' said Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), the head of the House Democrats' campaign arm. While Democrats believe redistricting is a needed avenue to counteract Republicans' redistricting push in Texas, the party faces several hurdles of its own. For one, some members of the party have expressed qualms over the idea to redistrict midcycle, suggesting it's antidemocratic. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), however, countered those concerns by saying that voters were 'pissed' that many 'lost their health care under the president's reconciliation bill.' 'They're also pissed that their neighbors are being apprehended by people wearing masks and indefinitely being detained, and these are nonviolent people that it's happening to,' Swalwell added. 'So right now, they're saying, 'Protect us,' and this is one break-glass way to protect it.' A more serious hurdle, though, could be how the maps are drawn and whether they violate the Voting Rights Act. Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), said that shaving down majority-minority seats 'runs the danger of violating the Voting Rights Act.' Saenz said that MALDEF would sue if either party engaged in midcycle redistricting that violated the Voting Rights Act as it pertained to Latino communities. Meanwhile, Democrats across the board say the stakes are high. 'This is not just about Texas or California or any other blue state — this is really the moment where we decide as a country whether our democracy succeeds or fails, because it is about something so much bigger,' said Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump pushes Texas Republicans to redraw congressional maps to help defend GOP's House majority
In the 2026 midterm elections battle for control of the House, when Republicans will be defending their razor-thin majority, it seems nothing's out of bounds. The GOP-controlled state legislature in Texas meets in special session next week, as top Republicans in the red state push to redraw the current congressional maps to reduce the number of districts controlled by already marginalized Democrats. It's part of a broader effort by the GOP across the country to keep control of the chamber, and cushion losses elsewhere in the country, as the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats. And President Donald Trump is aiming to prevent what happened during his first term, when Democrats stormed back to grab the House majority in the 2018 midterms. "Texas will be the biggest one," the president told reporters earlier this week, as he predicted the number of GOP-friendly seats that could be added through redistricting in the Lone Star State. "Just a simple redrawing, we pick up five seats." Hours earlier, Trump held a call with Texas' Republican congressional delegation and sources confirmed to Fox News that the president told the lawmakers that he was aiming to redraw the maps to create five new winnable seats. Democrats control just 12 of the state's 38 congressional districts, with a blue-leaning seat vacant after the death in March of Rep. Sylvester Turner. The idea is to relocate Democratic voters from competitive seats into nearby GOP-leaning districts, and move Republican voters into neighboring districts the Democrats currently control. Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, both conservative Republicans and Trump allies, said they needed to redistrict because of constitutional concerns raised by the Justice Department over a handful of minority-dominated districts. But the move is potentially risky. "There is some risk of making safe Republican seats more competitive, and I think that the incumbents are certainly worried about that," veteran Texas-based Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser told Fox News. "If you talk to Republican members of Congress, they're going to be worried about their own seats. They don't want to be in a seat that's more competitive." Steinhauser noted "that's the tradeoff for Republicans, if you want to grow the majority." But he added that "the people drawing the maps… they don't want to make any seat too competitive because that will defeat the purpose." Redistricting typically takes place at the start of each decade, based on the latest U.S. Census data. Mid-decade redistricting is uncommon – but not without precedent. Democrats are slamming Trump and Texas Republicans for what they describe as a power grab, and vowing to take legal action to prevent any shift in the current congressional maps. "Democrats are going to push back aggressively because it's the right thing to do," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters this week. Democrats in blue-dominated states are now considering similar tactics. "Two can play this game," California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on social media this week. The next day, after a meeting, Democrats in California's congressional delegation said they were on board with an ambitious plan to try and gain at least five seats through redistricting. Democrats currently control 43 of the Golden State's 52 congressional districts. But it won't be easy to enact the change, because in California, congressional maps are drawn by an independent commission that is not supposed to let partisanship influence their work. Newsom this week suggested that the state's Democratic-controlled legislature move forward with a mid-decade redrawing of the maps, arguing that it might not be forbidden by the 17-year-old ballot initiative that created the independent commission. The governor also proposed quickly holding a special election to repeal the commission ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Both plans are considered long shots, as they would face plenty of legislative, legal and financial hurdles. Democrats are also hoping to alter congressional maps in battleground Wisconsin, but the new liberal majority on the state Supreme Court recently declined to hear the case. Democrats and their allies are now in the midst of a second legal push for redistricting in Wisconsin. Democrats have also filed redistricting litigation in Utah and Florida, which are both red states. Meanwhile, Ohio is required by law to redistrict this year, and a redrawing of the maps in the red-leaning state could provide the GOP with up to three more congressional seats.
