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SACROMENTO — California Democrats began the process Monday to redraw the state’s Capitol district. It required extraordinary actions they said were necessary to neutralize the efforts of President Trump and Texas Republicans to increase the number of GOP lawmakers in Congress.
If approved by state lawmakers this week, Californians will vote for a voting measure labeled Proposal 50 in the November special election.
At a press conference to announce the law, Senate Speaker Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-Halsburg) and Congress chairman Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) said they agreed to the governor of California.
They said doing so would be essential to hampering the president’s far-right agenda.
“I want to be very clear about one thing. I’m not happy to be here. I didn’t choose this fight. I don’t want this fight,” said Deputy Mark Berman (D-Menlo Park). “But as our democracy is on the line, we can’t escape this fight and once the dust settles on Election Day, we win.”
Republicans accused Democrats of trying to overturn the will of voters who passed an independent district 15 years ago for their partisan goals.
“Citizens seized control of power from politicians in 2010,” says Rep. Carl Demaio (R-San Diego), who is trapped between GOP lawmakers and Capitol Rotunda signs that say “Redged Map” and “Defent Fair Elections.”
“Let me be very clear,” Demaio said. “Gavin Newsom and other politicians have been waiting with a focus on lying… to grab back control.”
After Trump urged Texas to redraw the Congressional District, Newsom and California Democrats have begun calling for a temporary restructuring of the current Congressional District boundaries, drawn by voter-approved independent rezoning committees in 2021.
Other states are now considering redrawing their Congressional districts and expanding the political battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressional districts are typically reconstructed once every ten years in the US Census.
Newsom launched a campaign Thursday to help other Democrats and Labour leaders redraw California’s Congressional district, with a map proposed to state legislative leaders on Friday.
Here are the measures lawmakers will be taking up this week:
It empowers Californians to amend the state constitution and approve new maps drawn by Democrats. This will be held for parliamentary elections in 2026, 2028 and 2030. If a GOP-led state approves its own map, it will fund a special election in November.
While Texas and several other GOP-led states are considering unusual medieval districts to maintain Republican Congressional retention, Ohio is extraordinary. If a district in Congress is not approved on a bipartisan basis, it is only valid in two general elections and can then be redrawn.
McGuire said if Ohio did that, California would move forward.
“Ohio has made it clear that they want to go ahead. They are actually one of the few states in the United States that allow for medium-term rezoning,” he said. “We firmly believe that they should chill it and pull it back, because if that’s the case, then California too.”
Republicans responded by seeking a federal investigation into California’s Democratic constituency change plan, and vowed to file multiple lawsuits in state and federal courts this week, including two.
“We intend to sue this at every stage, but we also believe this will be rejected in the public opinion court at the ballot box,” Demaio said.
He also called for a 10-year ban on holding elected offices for state legislators who vote in support of calling special elections, but he didn’t say how to do that.
McGuire dismissed criticism and threats of legal action, saying Republicans are more concerned about political self-preservation than California voters and the rule of law.
“Califan Republicans are now clutching pearls for their own interest. It’s not like California Republicans were speaking up in Congress when Texas decided they could eliminate five historically black and brown Congressional districts. “What I say: I’ll spend more time on the issue. The problem is Donald Trump.”
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