California Gov. Gavin Newsom told Donald Trump on Tuesday that the president had missed the deadline to pull back from creating “illegal crooked maps” in red states to manipulate coming elections.
As a result, Newsom, mimicking the president’s all caps messaging style, indicated the nation’s most populous state would “redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states.” He further promised that the results would be “historic as they will end the Trump Presidency” and result in the Democrats “taking back the House.”
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Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender, has become the leading Democratic voice countering Texas Republicans efforts to redraw maps so more districts favor the GOP in advance of the 2026 midterms. Trump has pressured the state to do so, as he faces the prospect of losing control of the House of Representatives next year. Redistricting has traditionally been done once every ten years, after the completion of a census, and not in the middle of the decade.
In turn, Newsom has vowed to launch an effort to redistrict California to make up for any GOP gains in the Lone Star State. California, though, has an independent commission that draws the district maps. Newsom has devised a plan to get a measure on the November ballot with maps that include more Democratic-heavy districts.
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On Monday, Newsom went public with a letter to Trump that laid out his demands.
“I am writing to ask you to call on the governor of Texas and other red states, who are acting on your request to draw new congressional maps through an unprecedented, mid-decade hyper-partisan gerrymander to rig the upcoming midterm elections, to stop those efforts.”
The governor then issued a series of all-caps warnings to Trump on social media over the next 24 hours, all of which ended with the president’s own signature line, “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Newsom several times promised a “very important press conference this week with a major announcement,” again mimicking one of Trump’s favorite flourishes.
— Ted Johnson contributed to this report.
Hypocrisy WRIT LARGE
There are 11 California Republicans in the House of Representatives. If they redraw the maps in a way to favor Democrats in those districts, they could very well cause the House to flip. If that happens, Trump’s “power” goes to zero. He’ll never get another bill through Congress. The U.S. House of Representatives has exclusive control over initiating revenue bills (tax and spending), impeaching federal officials, and electing the president in the case of an electoral college tie. They also play a key role in the legislative process, considering and passing federal legislation, and conducting oversight of government agencies.
California isn’t 100% Democrat districts. They do have republican Districts and there are 9 Districts that could be redrawn to make them more Democrat. Like Darrell Issa District 48 in San Diego area, or Ken Calvert in Corona his district is only R+3 easy pickens, or Young Kim in Anaheim Hills her district is just R+1, or Dave Valdado in Hanford R+1 district, or Adam Grey in Merced another R+1 district, or Kevin Kiely in Roseville an R+2 district. Bakersfield might be harder at R+15 but farmers have been hit hard so it is possible.
Honestly as stupid as this is, this is probably the place to meet Trump. Toe to toe, with ridicule.
Yesssss! It is about time a Democrat plays fire with fire. “When they go low, we go high”, is not working. FINALLY!