Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s redistricting push is running into a wall of public opposition, a new poll shows.
Newsom’s plan to redraw the state’s congressional maps to benefit Democrats involves transferring redistricting authority away from the state’s constitutionally-mandated independent commission to the state Legislature, a move that will need to be approved in a statewide referendum in November. However, a recent Politico–Citrin Center–Possibility Lab survey found that Californians prefer the independent panel over letting the Legislature decide congressional boundaries by nearly a two-to-one margin.
Just 36% support returning redistricting authority to lawmakers, according to the survey conducted between July 28 and Aug. 12 among 1,445 registered Californians. Even among Democrats, only 39% support returning redistricting authority to the Legislature, while 34% of Republicans support the move. (RELATED: Anti-Gerrymandering Watchdog Announces Its Support For Gerrymandering)
The Golden State governor has threatened to redraw the state’s congressional maps to counter a GOP-led redistricting effort in Texas that could yield Republicans up to five additional seats in the House of Representatives. California officials are expected to unveil proposed maps today that could net Democrats five extra congressional seats, effectively canceling out GOP gains in Texas.
Democrats have framed their redistricting push as retaliation against Texas Republicans.
“[President Trump], if you will not stand down, California will be forced to lead an effort to redraw our maps to offset the rigging of maps in red states,” Newsom said on Monday. “If the other states call off their redistricting efforts, we will do the same. And American democracy will be better for it.”
Some, including Vice President JD Vance, have suggested that California’s current congressional maps may not be as nonpartisan as state Democrats have claimed. Republicans currently hold 17% of the state’s congressional seats despite President Donald Trump winning 38.3% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.
Princeton University’s Gerrymandering Project — which grades congressional maps based on partisan advantage, competitiveness and geographic integrity — has rated California’s congressional map a “B.” However, the map received an “F” for competitiveness relative to other maps that could have been drawn.
“FAKE POLL written by LOSERS! We will win and Trump’s presidency will end (Democrats retake congress!) Watch and see!!” Izzy Gardon, Newsom’s director of communications, told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Other Democrat governors, such as JB Pritzker of Illinois — who has been criticized for his state’s highly partisan map — have indicated their willingness to redraw their congressional maps.
Texas House Democrats returned home on Tuesday after fleeing the Lone Star State for Democrat-run states such as Illinois and California to deny the state House the quorum needed to pass a new congressional map.
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