All The Details In Democrats’ California Gerrymander

SACRAMENTO, California — California Democrats on Friday finalized their plan to snatch five GOP House seats next year by redrawing the state's congressional lines, according to a copy of the new House map and other documents submitted to the Legislature on behalf of the DCCC.

The new lines, which voters would need to approve in a Nov. 4 special election, adds registered Democratic voters to districts held by Republicans and frontline Democrats, while making some safe blue districts slightly more competitive. State legislators are expected next week to place the new district lines on the statewide ballot, sparking a furious campaign to override the work of the state’s independent redistricting commission for the next several election cycles.

California’s bold and risky play, led by Gov. Gavin Newsom and senior members of the state’s congressional delegation, is designed to cancel out Republicans’ bid to flip five Democratic-held House seats in Texas — a tactic urged by President Donald Trump to retain the House majority.

“We will not stand by as Republicans attempt to rig the election in their favor and choose their voters," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Executive Director Julie Merz said in a statement. "It’s increasingly clear that Republicans will do anything to protect their narrow majority because they know they can’t win on their disastrous legislative record which has raised costs and rips away health care for millions, all to give the ultra-wealthy a tax break."

The ballot measure would take effect only if Texas Republicans follow through on their plans, and the Golden State’s independent commission would regain authority after the 2030 Census.

But opposition is already forming, including from Arnold Schwarzenegger, the politically moderate former GOP governor who championed the voter-approved commission and has vowed to “terminate” gerrymandering. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is helping lead a Republican effort to fight the California initiative, as POLITICO reported.

National Republican Campaign Committee Chair Richard Hudson suggested the organization would sue over the gerrymander.

“Gavin Newsom failed to solve the homelessness, crime, drug, and cost epidemics plaguing the Golden State. Now he is shredding California’s Constitution and disenfranchising voters to prop up his Presidential ambitions," Hudson said in a statement. "The NRCC is prepared to fight this illegal power grab in the courts and at the ballot box to stop Newsom in his tracks.”

The proposed new map targets incumbent Republican Reps. Doug LaMalfa, Kevin Kiley, Ken Calvert, Darrell Issa and David Valadao by folding more left-leaning voters into their districts, as POLITICO previously reported.

The rollout of the new district lines didn't go smoothly. A web link to the map was leaked Friday afternoon before state Democrats officially released it. The web page was quickly killed, but not before screenshots were posted on X.

California state legislators have an Aug. 22 deadline to approve putting the redraw before voters on Nov. 4, but Newsom and state leaders say they believe they have the votes to do so. Democrats hold a supermajority in the statehouse and have largely fallen in line behind the national party’s redistricting push.