Gov. Gavin Newsom is set to visit Los Angeles on Thursday with other Democratic leaders to announce an effort to quickly redraw the state’s congressional districts — countering a similar move brewing in Texas that could add as many as five Republican seats in Congress.
Mimicking President Donald Trump’s tendency to write social media posts in all capital letters, Newsom on Wednesday wrote that there will be a “HISTORIC … BEAUTIFUL RALLY” in Los Angeles at 11:30 a.m. Thursday with the governor and other “STRONG DEMS.”
“DEMOCRATS WILL DESTROY (Texas Gov.) GREG ABBOTT’S `TOTALLY RIGGED MAPS,'” Newsom wrote. “TREMENDOUS WORK IS BEING DONE. DONALD TRUMP (THE CRIMINAL PRESIDENT) GET READY FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PAYBACK YOU’VE EVER SEEN!!! COULD BE THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE AS YOUR PRESIDENCY ENDS (DEMS RETAKE CONGRESS!). AMERICA WILL BE LIBERATED — `LIBERATION DAY’ MANY ARE CALLING IT!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!”
Newsom has repeatedly criticized efforts that are continuing in Texas to redraw that state’s congressional districts ahead of next year’s mid-term elections, with the new maps potentially adding between three and five Republican seats in Congress, bolstering the GOP’s slim majority in the House of Representatives.
That redistricting effort has been on hold due to Texas state Democrats leaving the state, blocking the legislature’s ability to achieve a quorum and vote on the issue.
But Newsom acknowledged in an interview this week that the move in Texas is likely to ultimately succeed. “We’re going to fight fire with fire,” Newsom said.
AS MANY KNOW, DONALD “TACO” TRUMP — AUTHOR OF THE ART OF THE “DEAL” (A BOOK HE SHOULD RETURN TO THE LIBRARY) — JUST MISSED THE BEST DEAL IN HISTORY. HE ALWAYS “CHICKENS OUT” (TARIFFS, CHINA) — BUT EVEN A “CHICKEN” SHOULD KNOW A GOOD “DEAL” WHEN HE SEES ONE. I, YOUR FAVORITE…
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 14, 2025
He said the California legislature will take up the issue next week to call a Nov. 4 special election to put new maps before voters to increase Democratic representation in Congress — offsetting the actions of Texas. The move would set aside the current California district maps that were drawn by an independent commission
Newsom recently sent a letter to Trump saying California would halt its redistricting effort if Texas agreed to do the same, but Trump did not respond to the request.
Corrin Rankin, chair of the California Republican Party, issued a statement this week saying the party would go to court to fight Newsom’s plans to redistrict the state.
“The California Republican Party will fight it in the courts, at the ballot box and in every community,” Rankin said.
Abbott told Fox News that if California does move to redraw its district, Texas will simply counter by amending its lines again to add even more Republican seats in Washington.
“If California thinks they’re going to move their needle to the extreme and eliminate five Republican numbers of the United States Congress there, Texas is not going to do five: We will add 10 more Republican seats using the same procedure they are using in California,” Abbott said.