California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) rallied support Thursday for his redistricting proposal in response to Texas’s plans, telling the country to “wake up” to what President Trump is trying to do in office.
“Wake up, America,” Newsom said at the rally, formally announcing the special election he is planning that would allow California to propose a new congressional map if another state passes its own first. “This is a serious moment. Wake up to what’s going on. Wake up to the fear, the anxiety.”
Newsom revealed last week that California would move forward with plans to hold a special election in November on a ballot measure allowing the state Legislature to redraw the map for the remainder of the decade. He has said the measure won’t eliminate the independent redistricting commission that the state uses to draw its lines but would let the state keep up with Republican attempts to gerrymander.
The news came as Texas state House Democrats set two conditions for returning to the Lone Star State after spending more than a week and a half in various other states to prevent the House from having a quorum and advancing the new map, which would likely allow Republicans to pick up five additional seats in next year’s midterm elections. The state House Democratic Caucus said in a statement that the lawmakers would return if the state Legislature adjourns sine die on Friday and California introduces new maps that would “neutralize” the proposed changes in Texas.
Newsom has called for redrawing California’s map to offset gains that Republicans would make in Texas.
Newsom called Thursday “liberation day,” a reference to the label Trump gave when announcing wide-ranging tariffs in April. He referenced a comment from Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) telling Trump that he has “poked the bear” and the state will “punch back.”
He said Democrats must recognize that Trump isn’t playing by any rules and to “meet fire with fire.” He said California is taking this step only in reaction to Trump’s call on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to redraw the map and that he still believes independent redistricting commissions, like California uses, are the best way to conduct the process.
He said the process that California takes will be transparent, unlike in Texas where legislators are seeking to advance the map against “the consent of the people.”
“We’re putting maps on the ballot, and we’re giving the power to the people,” he said. “This will be the first redistricting that’s ever done that. That’s the difference.”
“I hope we are waking up to this reality. Wake up, America. Wake up to what Donald Trump is doing,” Newsom said. “Wake up to his assault, wake up to the assault on institutions and knowledge and history. Wake up to his war on science, public health and his war on the American people.”
He later told reporters that he expects the state Legislature to pass the measure for the ballot initiative by the end of next week and the map proposal will come out in the next few days.
Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin said in a statement that Newsom and California Democrats sent a “booming message” to the country that they will fight back against Republicans. He said the ballot measure will make clear to Trump and the GOP that they can’t “rig” their way to win in the midterms.
“It will level the playing field and help make sure voters decide who runs the House of Representatives — not Donald Trump,” Martin said. “Facing voters squarely on your record is a hallmark of our democracy, but Republicans are hellbent on avoiding accountability.”
He said the onus is on Trump and the Republicans to stop trying to change the rules, and the Democrats won’t stop fighting for free and fair elections. He pledged that the DNC would support the measure at every step.
California’s Republican congressional delegation released a statement denouncing Newsom’s plan, saying they support the bipartisan majority who have indicated they support the state’s independent redistricting commission. They said Newsom is trying to “grab power” away from citizens and give it to Sacramento politicians to advance gerrymandering.
“Our delegation will stand with the citizens of California and defend their rights as they stand today in our state constitution by opposing Newsom’s ballot measure,” they said, calling on all Californians regardless of party affiliation to vote against the measure.
Updated at 5:49 p.m. EDT
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