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Rep. Jeffries pressed on Democrats' plan against GOP redistricting
Rep. Jeffries pressed on Democrats' plan against GOP redistricting

CNN

time15 hours ago

  • Politics
  • CNN

Rep. Jeffries pressed on Democrats' plan against GOP redistricting

Rep. Jeffries pressed on Democrats' plan against GOP redistricting CNN's Manu Raju speaks with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) about both Democrats and Republicans possibly redistricting key states in the middle of an election cycle. 02:38 - Source: CNN Vertical Politics of the Day 16 videos Rep. Jeffries pressed on Democrats' plan against GOP redistricting CNN's Manu Raju speaks with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) about both Democrats and Republicans possibly redistricting key states in the middle of an election cycle. 02:38 - Source: CNN Democrats walk out before vote for controversial Trump nominee Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans voted on Thursday to advance the nomination of Emil Bove, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, to a federal judgeship, over the loud protests of Democrats. 01:42 - Source: CNN Trump's 'Manosphere' problems Influential podcasters with large audiences of millennial and Gen Z men helped propel President Donald Trump to victory in 2024. Now some of those same voices are sharing criticisms of the current administration. CNN's Steve Contorno breaks it down. 01:56 - Source: CNN Trump DOJ fires federal prosecutor in Epstein case Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor in the case against accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, has been fired from her job in the Southern District of New York, according to people familiar with the situation. 01:56 - Source: CNN Bernie Sanders calls Trump's GOP 'cult of the individual' Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) tells CNN's Anderson Cooper that Republicans developed an almost Stalinist-type devotion to President Donald Trump. 00:45 - Source: CNN This Native American senator brings Oklahoma ranch style to Washington Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) gives CNN's Dana Bash a tour of his Capitol office, which showcases his Cherokee heritage and rancher lifestyle. 02:35 - Source: CNN Ex-Trump business associate on Trump's friendship with Epstein CNN's Erin Burnett speaks with former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino COO Jack O'Donnell about one of President Trump's previous interactions with Jeffrey Epstein. 02:27 - Source: CNN Fearing ICE crackdown, this family self-deports Fearing increased immigration enforcement, undocumented immigrant Julio Mendoza and his American wife, Sasha, made the difficult decision to self-deport to Mexico with their three children, all of whom are US Citizens. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez reports. 01:35 - Source: CNN How Trump's image is changing inside Russia Once hailed as a pro-Kremlin figure, President Donald Trump's image is changing inside Russia. It comes after Trump vowed further sanctions on the country if a peace agreement with Ukraine is not reached in 50 days. CNN's Chief Global Affairs Correspondent is on the ground in Moscow with the analysis. 01:41 - Source: CNN Rep. Jasmine Crockett responds to Trump saying she should take IQ test CNN's Laura Coates speaks with Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) about President Donald Trump's comments that she and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should take an IQ test. 01:05 - Source: CNN Trump says interest in Epstein files is 'pretty boring stuff' President Donald Trump said he doesn't understand his supporters' continued interest in the Epstein files, calling it "boring," while also reiterating his call for anything 'credible' to be released. 00:56 - Source: CNN Trump's fight with MAGA base over Epstein explained President Trump is at odds with some of his own supporters over after his Attorney General Pam Bondi declined to release more documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case. CNN's Erin Burnett explains the feud inside Trump's MAGA movement. 02:20 - Source: CNN Supreme Court ruling will allow mass firings of Education Department employees The Supreme Court on Monday said President Donald Trump may proceed with his plan to carry out mass layoffs at the Department of Education in the latest win for the White House at the conservative high court. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty reports. 01:34 - Source: CNN Trump demands Russia reach peace deal within 50 days President Donald Trump made several announcements on Monday aligning him more firmly with Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion than ever before. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh breaks down the two main developments that could drastically impact the ongoing war. 01:34 - Source: CNN MTG warns of 'big' blowback in MAGA world over handling of Epstein case CNN's Manu Raju spoke with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) who is demanding "transparency" from President Donald Trump's administration when it comes to information related to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and warned that the issue could stoke "significant" blowback from the right wing of the party. 01:04 - Source: CNN MAGA faithful weigh in on Epstein files debate At a conservative conference in Florida, Trump supporters share their views on the Epstein files fallout with CNN's Donie O'Sullivan. 01:40 - Source: CNN

Texas Republicans might redraw Congressional maps. Democrats plan to strike back
Texas Republicans might redraw Congressional maps. Democrats plan to strike back

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

Texas Republicans might redraw Congressional maps. Democrats plan to strike back

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's recent decision to consider redrawing his state's congressional districts mid-decade, which could eke out more seats for the Republican Party, has prompted Democrats to issue new threats to draw Republicans out of seats in blue states. Redistricting plans are expected during an upcoming special session, which will begin on July 21, interspersed into an agenda focused on flood preparation and relief after major flooding in central Texas. The special session can only last a maximum of 30 days. The Republican-controlled state legislature drew the current map in 2021, which was set to remain in effect until 2031. President Donald Trump's political operation floated the prospect last month, in efforts to shore up the GOP's fragile House majority, to tepid responses from the state's Congressional delegation. Yet, just this week, Trump rubber-stamped the effort, and wants his party to pick up five seats if Texas redraws its Congressional maps. He suggested that there "could be" other states that follow suit. He did not specify which states. MORE: White House, Texas Republicans weigh redistricting to protect GOP House majority State Republicans have some prior precedent of shifting things around— in 2003, Texas Republicans attempted to tweak their districts mid-cycle. In trying to thwart the effort, around 50 Democrats at the time fled to neighboring Oklahoma, denying the session a quorum, and paralyzing the legislative session. Even still, the Democrats were only able to delay talks and Republicans eventually successfully redistricted that session. Democrats are pushing back. On Monday, state lawmakers held a call with U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, and former Attorney General Eric Holder regarding the special session. They did not directly encourage members to stage a walkout, a source who was on that call told ABC News. Still, the source added the state House members are continuing to keep all their options open. California's Gov. Gavin Newsom is being more explicit – telling the Pod Save America podcast that he has spoken to state lawmakers about calling a special session to begin making changes to state law in order to redraw their districts in response to Abbott. "If we're gonna play fair in a world that is wholly unfair, we may have the higher moral ground, but the ground is shifting from underneath us. And I think we have to wake up to that reality," Newsom said. California has an independent redistricting commission intended to prevent gerrymandering, but Paul Mitchell, an elections and redistricting expert, said Newsom could go around the commission either by getting voters' approval on a ballot measure in a special election or by arguing in court. A potential ballot measure could halt the commission's authority to draw congressional districts until other states began using similar commissions, and "could all be done in time for the next election" without legal issues. The biggest uncertainty in this scenario would be whether or not voters would support it. Alternatively, Newsom could argue the commission only has authority over decade-end redistricting, but the legislature can still redistrict mid-decade. Mitchell said it was a coin toss whether the California Supreme Court would uphold this argument. MORE: Newsom slams Trump admin during South Carolina tour: 'America in reverse' Jeffries huddled with California's congressional delegation to discuss the prospect Wednesday, a source familiar said. Experts suggested to ABC that other Democratic-held states could follow California's lead, such as New York, Maryland or Illinois, but it's unclear if there would be a significant strategic advantage. Marina Jenkins, the executive director Holder's National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said in a statement that Republicans are trying to "suppress votes" and believes an "an immediate avalanche of lawsuits" will come if the maps are redrawn. "This moment requires all hands on deck to stop them," said Jenkins. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, and Rep. Pete Aguilar, Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, stated in a joint announcement that Texas' "egregious" redistricting attempts "cannot go unanswered." A spokesperson for Abbott, asked about such accusations, wrote, "While partisan activists focus solely on political issues, Governor Abbott is dedicated to delivering results on issues important to Texans," including flood relief. Chad Wilbanks, a Republican strategist and former Texas GOP executive director, told ABC News, "The Republicans I talk to are very supportive of a mid-decade redistricting." He thinks that the GOP could gain at least three seats thanks to population changes in the state. Wilbanks dismissed Democrats' claim that the redistricting gambit is politically motivated as "standard politics." Democrats are going on offense regardless. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the campaign arm of House Democrats, made a verbal commitment to Texas Congressional Democrats to invest six figures to support digital ads and other actions to pressure Republicans over redistricting attempts, a source close to the committee told ABC News. Martin traveled to Texas on Friday at the invitation of state Democrats to strategize on next steps. "If Texas Republicans want a showdown, we will give them a showdown," Martin said in a statement. ABC News' Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report.

Newsom threatens to redraw California House maps in protest at Texas plan
Newsom threatens to redraw California House maps in protest at Texas plan

The Guardian

time2 days ago

  • Politics
  • The Guardian

Newsom threatens to redraw California House maps in protest at Texas plan

Seeking to offset a Republican plan to pick up congressional seats in Texas, California Democrats say they are prepared to redraw the state's 52 congressional districts in a longshot and controversial effort to pick up Democratic seats. Governor Gavin Newsom, seen as a likely presidential candidate in 2028, has been leading the threat in recent days. And Democratic members of California's delegation in the US House appear to be on board. 'We want our gavels back,' Representative Mark Takano, a California Democrat, told Punchbowl News. 'That's what this is about.' Democrats hold 43 of California's 52 seats and reportedly believe they can pick up an additional five to seven seats by drawing new maps. Newsom is pushing the plan as Texas Republicans are poised to redraw its 38 congressional districts in a special session that begins next week. Texas's governor, Greg Abbott, put redistricting on the agenda at the request of Donald Trump, who wants Republicans to add five seats in Texas as he seeks to stave off a loss in congressional seats next year. The effort has been widely criticized by Democrats as an anti-democratic ploy to make Republicans unaccountable to their voters. Newsom's plan in California is unlikely to succeed. More than a decade ago, California voters approved a constitutional amendment that stripped lawmakers of their ability to draw congressional districts and gave it to an independent redistricting commission. Newsom has only offered vague ideas for how to get around that requirement. He has suggested the legislature could call a quick voter referendum to potentially strip the commission of its power. He also said on Wednesday there was a possibility of the legislature trying to enact new maps on its own – a novel legal theory. 'It's not lawful in any way,' said Dan Vicuña, a redistricting expert at the watchdog group Common Cause. 'It was clear that this was meant to be done one time after the census, through a public and transparent process that centers community feedback, and then to be not touched again until the next decade.' He added: 'It's not an invitation to them to circumvent the independent process and gerrymander maps in the middle of a decade. That would completely undermine the purpose of the independent process voters approved.' California's independent commission has long been considered a model for making the process of drawing district lines fairer. There has been a bipartisan push in recent years to get more states to adopt commissions such as California's, where ordinary citizens – Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated – have the power to draw district lines. After the 2020 census, four states – California, Arizona, Michigan and Colorado – used independent commissions. Democrats sought to require all states to use independent redistricting commissions in federal legislation that stalled in the US Senate during Joe Biden's presidency. Russell Yee, a Republican who served on California's commission, said that while he understood Newsom's frustration, the only solution is redistricting reform at the federal level. 'To abandon a commitment to fair and equitable election districts for partisan advantage is to sell family treasures at a pawn shop for a wad of quickly spent cash,' he said. Newsom has noted he supported creating the commission, but frames his willingness to redraw maps as the type of hardball Democrats should be more willing to play as Trump and Republicans have openly defied the law. 'They're playing by a different set of rules. They can't win by the traditional game so they want to change the game,' Newsom said on Wednesday. 'We can act holier than thou. We can sit on the sidelines, talk about the way the world should be. Or we can recognize the existential nature that is this moment.' Alex Lee, a state assemblyman who chairs his chamber's progressive caucus, rejected that argument. 'CA independent citizen redistricting (imperfect) is model for the nation,' he wrote in a post on X. '[Republicans] resort to cheating to win. We win by running clear platform for the working class and delivering.' Trying to push through a redrawing of California's map could also undermine efforts by Democrats to convince voters of the grave dangers of Trump's attacks on the rule of law. 'I don't think it's appropriate to combat attacks on democracy with more attacks on democracy,' Vicuña said. 'This sounds like a very familiar playbook. It sounds like the Trump playbook.' This article was amended on 17 July 2025. An earlier version attributed the closing quote about attacks on democracy to Alex Lee instead of Dan Vicuña.

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