The redistricting duel between California and Texas is unofficially on.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law on Thursday a ballot measure to amend the California Constitution and allow a redrawn congressional district map to temporarily tilt five additional districts toward Democrats in 2026. The maneuver came in response to Governor Greg Abbott agreeing to redistrict the congressional delegation from Texas at President Trump’s request for five more Republican seats, a goal that is coming within reach.
Both strategies intend to add the same number of seats in the U.S. Congress for their respective parties by gerrymandering district borders to include or exclude voters by party. The Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that redistricting for partisan reasons was legal, leaving intact the Voting Rights Act rule that redistricting to split a minority vote was not. Though Texas Governor Abbott has promised to sign the legislation, he had yet to announce that he has.