Sacramento – The California Democrats began the process of redefining the state’s congressional area on Monday, and they said the extraordinary action is necessary to neutralize President Trump and the Republican president of Texas to increase the number of Republican members in Congress.
If approved by state lawmakers this week, Californians will vote on the ballot measures in a special election in November.
At a news conference unveiling the legislation, Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) said they agreed with Gov. Gavin Newsom that California must respond to Trump’s efforts to “rig” the 2026 midterms by working to reduce by half the number of Republicans in the state’s 52-member congressional delegation.
They say doing so is crucial to hindering the president’s far-right agenda.
“I want one thing to be clear, I’m not happy to be here. We didn’t choose this battle. We don’t want this battle.” “But with our democracy we can’t get rid of this battle, and when the dust settles on Election Day, we will win.”
Republicans accuse Democrats of trying to subvert the will of voters who re-divided through independence 15 years ago in order to achieve their partisan goals.
“Citizens seized control of the power of politicians in 2010,” said Carl DeMaio (R-san Diego).
“Let me know very well,” Demaio said. “Gavin Newsom and other politicians have been waiting, with the focus on lying…retrieving control.”
News and California Democrats began calling for a temporary reconfiguration of current congressional district boundaries, drawn in 2021 by the independent redistribution committee approved by voters, after Trump urged Texas to add five new Republican members to Congress.
Now, other states are also considering redefining their congressional districts, escalating the political struggle under the control of the U.S. House. After the U.S. census, the congressional district is usually reconfigured every decade.
Newsom, other Democratic lawmakers and labor leaders launched a campaign to support California’s congressional district redefinition on Thursday and send the proposed map to state legislative leaders on Friday.
What lawmakers will take this week:
- If any Republican-led state approves its own map, Californians are given the power to amend the national constitution and approve new maps drawn by the Democrats, which will be the 2026, 2028 and 2030 congressional elections.
- Funding for the special election in November.
- After the 2030 census, the state will be returned to the independent redivision committee approved by voters.
Texas and several other Republican-led states are considering an unusual mid-term re-division to maintain Republican holdings in Congress, but Ohio is an anomaly. If their congressional districts are not approved on a bipartisan basis, they are only valid for two elections and can then be re-approved.
McGuire said if Ohio does so, California will continue to move forward.
“Ohio has made it clear that they want to be able to continue. They are one of the few states in the United States that actually allow it,” he said. “We firmly believe that they should cool down and backward because if they do, California will, too.”
Republicans responded by calling for a federal investigation into the California Democratic re-division plan and vowed to file multiple lawsuits in state and federal courts, including two this week.
“We will litigate this in every step, but we think it will also be rejected by the court of public opinion in the ballot box,” Demaio said.
He also called for a ban on state lawmakers who have been in power for 10 years who voted for the call of special elections, although he did not say how he would try to do so.
McGuire dismissed criticism and threats of legal action, saying Republicans are more concerned about political self-protection than the will of California voters or the rule of law.
“California Republicans are now holding the pearl for their own interests. When Texas decided to eliminate five historically black and brown congressional districts, California Republicans were in the Legislature, not one in the House of Representatives. “What I’m going to say is: Spend more time on the issue.” The problem is Donald Trump. ”
