{"id":69885,"date":"2025-08-14T20:37:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T20:37:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/69885\/"},"modified":"2025-08-14T20:37:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T20:37:14","slug":"gavin-newsom-mounts-retaliation-to-counter-texas-redistricting-efforts-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/69885\/","title":{"rendered":"Gavin Newsom mounts retaliation to counter Texas redistricting efforts – National"},"content":{"rendered":"

California Gov. Gavin Newsom<\/a> is moving to counteract Texas Republicans\u2019 efforts to redraw congressional district lines before the upcoming midterm elections by calling a special election in his state.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Newsom announced Thursday his Election Rigging Response Act, which he says aims to counteract President Donald Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott<\/a>\u2018s \u201cgerrymandering scheme\u201d in Texas by offering Californians the chance to vote on newly drawn congressional district boundaries in their home state.<\/p>\n

Speaking at a rally at his offices on Thursday, Newsom urged Americans to \u201cwake up\u201d to what is happening in their country.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have got to recognize the cards that have been dealt and we\u2019ve got to fight fire with fire,\u201d he said, adding that other states need to be firm in their resolve and \u201cstand up.\u201d<\/p>\n

California, like Texas, will move to redraw district lines, but, unlike its state counterpart, will put its updated redistricting maps on the ballot and allow citizens of California to vote on them on November 4 in a special election that will provide a \u201ctemporary pathway\u201d to redistricting before next year\u2019s midterms, Newsom explained.<\/p>\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n

In a video shared on X<\/a>, he said there was \u201ca five-alarm fire for Democracy\u201d in the U.S., and accused the president of attempting to rig elections and Texas Governor Greg Abbott of rolling over to Trump\u2019s attempt to redefine congressional district lines in a manner that was undemocratic and would benefit Republicans.<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s election rigging comes to an end now. California won\u2019t stand by and watch Trump burn it all down \u2014 we are calling a special election to redraw our Congressional maps and defend fair representation. <\/p>\n

This is a five alarm fire for Democracy. Vote YES November 4. pic.twitter.com\/7MQz6LjaG6<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe will nullify what happens in Texas with the consent of the people,\u201d Newsom said in the video.<\/p>\n

Trump has not responded to Newsom\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, in an X post<\/a> mimicking Trump\u2019s<\/a> tone and distinctive use of capital letters, Newsom announced that his office would be unveiling its plans for redrawing congressional maps in California.<\/p>\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n

\u201cDONALD \u2018TACO\u2019 TRUMP, AS MANY CALL HIM, \u2018MISSED\u2019 THE DEADLINE!!! CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE \u2018BEAUTIFUL MAPS,\u2019 THEY WILL BE HISTORIC AS THEY WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY (DEMS TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!). BIG PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK WITH POWERFUL DEMS AND GAVIN NEWSOM \u2014 YOUR FAVORITE GOVERNOR \u2014 THAT WILL BE DEVASTATING FOR \u2018MAGA.\u2019 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! \u2014 GN,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n

DONALD \u201cTACO\u201d TRUMP, AS MANY CALL HIM, \u201cMISSED\u201d THE DEADLINE!!! CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE \u201cBEAUTIFUL MAPS,\u201d THEY WILL BE HISTORIC AS THEY WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY (DEMS TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!). BIG PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK WITH POWERFUL DEMS AND GAVIN NEWSOM \u2014 YOUR\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 12, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The move comes as tensions soar among state leadership, with Democrats accusing Texas Republicans of attempting to sway elections in their favour and Republicans accusing Texas Democrats of abandoning their duties.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"For<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tGet breaking National news<\/p>\n

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.<\/p>\n

Last week, Abbott called for the arrest<\/a> of more than 50 Texas Democrats, and the removal of top Democrat Gene Wu<\/a>\u00a0from office, after they fled the state<\/a> to prevent the House from passing legislation they say would reduce the voting power of minority groups and increase the Republican Party\u2019s chances of taking control of the U.S. House.<\/p>\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, after repeated threats to do so, Abbott announced that both chambers of the Texas House would adjourn on Friday without a date to reconvene if a quorum is not reached for the current session, adding that he would immediately call a new one.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will call the Texas Legislature back immediately for Special Session #2,\u201d Abbott said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cThe Special Session #2 agenda will have the exact same agenda<\/a>, with the potential to add more items critical to Texans.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be no reprieve for the derelict Democrats who fled the state and abandoned their duty to the people who elected them. I will continue to call special sessions after special sessions until we get this Texas first agenda passed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Click<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2:05
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTexas is \u2018preparing to arrest Democrats\u2019 as Republicans push redistricting plan: Abbott\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\tPrevious Video<\/p>\n

\t\tNext Video<\/p>\n

\n\t\tTrending Now\n\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tWhy is Air Canada cancelling flights before a strike actually happens?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tWine, candy and room service: How Ottawa spent $170,000 on Canadian ISIS women\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Trump and Abbott intend to redraw the Texas congressional map in the hopes of adding five more Republican seats in Texas.<\/p>\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n

If they succeed, it would increase the party\u2019s chance of maintaining its slim U.S. House majority, which currently sits at 219-212. Republicans currently hold 25 of Texas\u2019s 38 seats in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n

Congressional lines are typically redrawn every 10 years to reflect population changes based on data from the national census; however, Texas\u2019s break from tradition has forced a response from Democrat-run states, with Newsom and California now leading the charge.<\/p>\n

In a letter to Trump this week, Newsom wrote, \u201cIf you will not stand down, I will be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read the letter @CAGovernor<\/a> Gavin Newsom just sent Donald Trump:<\/p>\n

“If you will not stand down, I will be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/Atuz478VJ5<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 11, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n

According to CBS News, Newsom\u2019s team had been in talks<\/a> with California\u2019s Democratic congressional delegation and the California legislature, where drafts of new maps were discussed.<\/p>\n

U.S. Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California told the outlet that the conversations were initially to determine if it was even possible to retaliate by gaining five Democratic seats to counter Texas\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m confident that if we need to move forward, we will do that successfully. There\u2019s tremendous unity on the Democratic side,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Currently, if Democrats were to win back as few as three seats from their opponents, they could flip the Republican-held House in next year\u2019s midterm elections.<\/p>\n

On Thursday morning, Newsom wrote on X, \u201cDonald Trump and Greg Abbott are going to have a very bad day today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tPresident Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott participate in a round table event at the Hill Country Youth Event Center to discuss flash flooding on July 11, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas.\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tChip Somodevilla \/ Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMore on World
\n\t\t\tMore videos\n\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t&copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.\t<\/p>\n