Newsom calls GOP's push to redraw TX congressional maps an 'existential crisis to democracy'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: KGO-TV San Francisco

Friday, July 25, 2025 10:44PM


SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KGO) -- Gov. Gavin Newsom is doubling down on his threat to overhaul the state's independent redistricting process, escalating a political standoff with Texas Republicans that's becoming a flashpoint in the fight for control of Congress. This week, the Texas Legislature kicked off a special session where redistricting is on the table, as Republicans reevaluate their congressional maps to help the GOP retain its slim House majority after the 2026 midterms.

After a Friday meeting with Texas lawmakers at the governor's mansion in Sacramento, Newsom told reporters the situation is a "five-alarm fire for democracy in the United States." "We are committed to this process. This is not a bluff," he said. "Everything is at stake if we're not successful next year and take back the House of Representatives."

Last week, President Donald Trump publicly called on Texas to redraw their maps, even though the state's boundaries were already updated in 2021 after the 2020 U.S. Census. In response, Newsom began floating the idea that California could abandon its independent redistricting commission.

California voters first signed off on this process through a 2008 proposition that amended the state constitution to relinquish lawmakers' control of drawing electoral maps. "We want to play the game on the terms where everybody is playing by the same set of rules. That's no longer the case," the governor said.

Read more: https://abc7news.com/post/california-governor-gavin-newsom-calls-gops-push-redraw-congressional-maps-tx-existential-crisis-democracy/17298566/

---

Gov. Newsom PRESS RELEASE - Governor Newsom meets with Texas state leaders amid Republican efforts to gerrymander state to let Trump keep wielding power without restraint

REFERENCES

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143496406
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143501864

[FirstLight]

1. why does it seem like he's alone screaming to the void...?

Other dems should be all over this! ...did I miss something?

[BumRushDaShow]

2. He's not

Hochul is also looking at this but she wasn't mentioned in any of the articles with CA & TX (and when I spotted some recent ones last evening, they were also outside of LBN's timeframe).

Gov. Hochul considers redrawing New York’s congressional map after Trump push in Texas

'All is fair in love and war' Hochul open to redrawing New York's congressional lines

(it was unfortunate that in NY's attempt to have "fair maps", we ended up losing something like 6 seats. They recently had a re-do before the 2024 election and (D)s gained back a few)

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. This is a break the glass moment.

Link to tweet

[Baitball Blogger]

4. Let me understand this:

The Republicans will gerrymander their districts before the midterm elections and no court in the land will stop them.

The Democrats will try to counter with their own gerrymandering and the Democratic lower courts will stop them.

Is anyone else seeing the same math?

[Martin Eden]

5. Gerrymandering for political advantage has been going on in the US for centuries

I think it should be prohibited across the board, but when one side does it the other side is at a disadvantage if it doesn't do the same.

Today, anything that maintains or increases the power of Trump fascism is indeed an existential threat to American democracy.

[The Mouth]

6. Then why is he suggesting it here?

Especially after a LOT of Californians FOUGHT to take redistricting away from the politicians.

The number of D and R in the legislature should always reflect their percentages in the population. voters should choose politicians, not the other way around.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. Unfortunately thanks to one man

who hijacked a political party and has not only taken them over, but has proceeded to take over the federal government, the high court in the land, the media, and higher education institutions, "the rules have changed". It is all being done with the manipulation of the current "system". Once their takeover is complete, it won't matter anymore as elections will pretty much be nullified with their manufactured "permanent majority".

As they say - "Eat or be eaten".

[The Mouth]

9. If it's wrong when they do it, it's wrong when we do it

I'll fight this like hell here.

No party should have complete control of a state.

I've read LOTS of bitching and whining about "gerrymandering" here for a long while, now people are encouraging the same thing.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. It IS wrong

Hell - here in PA, we fought to finally undue the obscene gerrymandering that the GOP had put in place here to get "fair maps" that met the plainly stated criteria in the PA State Constitution of districts being "compact and contiguous".

But the world has changed when you have a GOP-run Congress that has completely abdicated its duty and high court that has allowed an insane man and his loons to flagrantly and completely upend 234 years of the building of the U.S. Constitution and jurisprudence.

As a retired fed who worked for the government for over 30 years and swore an OATH to uphold the Constitution, spending countless hours of my own time during my employment to carry out assignments to protect the American people, I am disgusted but am also realistic about where we stand right now.

As I have posted over and over and over - our system of government relies on "the honor system", meaning people backing down when the courts say STOP! That "honor" (and trust) has been BROKEN and we are now experiencing unprecedented circumstances that require unprecedented solutions that will hopefully stave off what could potentially be the next step - literal "civil war".

[chowder66]

8. As a Californian who voted for this, I'm not happy about it but I understand it.

I support fighting fire with fire.

If another way could be found I would prefer that but I don't think there is one.
They are breaking the rules everywhere, we have to start doing the same to compete.

[Karasu]

11. The only "other way" would be for this shit to simply not exist, and that ship sailed LONG ago. It is VITAL to the

survival of the GOP in this country, has been for a long time, and is responsible for much of the power they wield.