California’s Texas-thwarting gerrymander has swiftly transformed from fantasy to reality.
Democrats in the House and the state Legislature are coalescing around a plan to draw a half-dozen Republican incumbents into oblivion — and persuade California voters to approve the new congressional maps before next year’s midterms. Party leaders are closely tracking the dual-track developments in which lawmakers in Texas and California are moving, in partisan parallel, to shore up their respective party’s House majorities. California Republicans are casting about for a way to avoid extinction.
It all points to a high-stakes, big-dollar brawl thrusting California to the center of the political universe.
“Legally, we can do it,” said Xavier Becerra, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Biden Cabinet secretary who is working with a voting rights institute that has briefed lawmakers. “Politically, we must do it.”
It could result in as many as five new blue seats and Democrats holding all but four of California’s 52 congressional districts, according to a slide presented to members of Congress and viewed by POLITICO. That analysis tracks with the presentation to Democrats in Sacramento, which envisioned forcing out GOP incumbents including Reps. David Valadao, Kevin Kiley and Darrell Issa.
The redistricting sprint has accelerated over the last week. On Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed he intended to call a special election, likely in November. Over the weekend, as Texas Democrats sought to forestall a vote by fleeing the state, California House delegation leaders gave state lawmakers their most extensive briefing to date, including internal polling that found the gambit starting with a slender lead.
On Monday, members of the California delegation discussed their plan for mounting a redistricting campaign in the deep-blue state, according to five people familiar with the situation.
“Trump wants to change the rules so he can continue to use the full power of the federal government to punish California with zero congressional oversight,” Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who briefed state and federal colleagues, said in a statement. “If these GOP mid-decade redistricting efforts do come to pass, our congressional delegation stands ready to work with our state legislative partners to respond. We will fight back.”