California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he is moving forward with putting proposed new congressional maps for the state on the ballot on a Nov. 4 special election in an attempt to counter mid-decade redistricting being pushed by Republicans in Texas.
“I know they say ‘Don’t mess with Texas.’ Well, don’t mess with the great Golden State,” Newsom said at a news conference, flanked by Democratic members of Congress and California union leaders.
“We’re doing this in reaction to a president of the United that called a sitting governor of the state of Texas and said, ‘Find me five seats,'” he added later.
He said the state government will affirm its commitment to the state’s independent redistricting commission after the 2030 census, “but we’re asking the voters for their consent to do midterm redistricting in 2026, 2028 and 2030 for the congressional maps to respond to what’s happening in Texas … and we’ll do so in a way that also affirms our desire as a state to level the playing field all across the United States.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks as he announces the redrawing of California’s congressional maps, calling on voters to approve a ballot measure in Los Angeles, Calif. August 14, 2025.
Mike Blake/Reuters
In a campaign video released concurrently with the news conference, Newsom framed the issue in stark terms.
“It is a five-alarm fire for democracy in the United States of America. Donald Trump, who is trying to light a torch on democracy, continues to try to rig the election,” Newsom says in the video.
The California legislature will have to pass legislation to put the maps on the ballot.
Speaking to reporters after the announcement, Newsom said California won’t move forward with its mid-decade redistricting plans if Republican-run states considering redistricting don’t move forward with redrawing their own maps.
“This does not go forward — I want to remind everybody — unless one of these other states move forward, there’s still an exit ramp — not just Texas, but Missouri, as I mentioned, or Florida, Indiana, these other states that are considering doing the unprecedented, rigging their elections with midterm redistricting. So we’re hopeful they don’t move forward. If that’s the case, this effort will not be necessary. But we’re not waiting,” he said.
Republicans are criticizing Newsom’s move as political.
“Gavin Newsom’s latest stunt has nothing to do with Californians and everything to do with consolidating radical Democrat power, silencing California voters, and propping up his pathetic 2028 presidential pipe dream,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Christian Martinez said in a statement ahead of the press conference.
“Newsom’s made it clear: he’ll shred California’s Constitution and trample over democracy — running a cynical, self-serving playbook where Californians are an afterthought and power is the only priority.”
