California Governor Gavin Newsom has written to Donald Trump urging him to abandon a Republican-led redistricting effort in Texas, warning that the president is “playing with fire” and that California is prepared to redraw its own congressional maps in response. The letter comes after Texas Democratic lawmakers again denied the state legislature the quorum needed to proceed with a new congressional map favoured by Trump.
Dozens of Democratic state lawmakers left Texas on Sunday, taking refuge in blue states such as Illinois and New York, to block the Republican redistricting plan. The standoff has widened what Newsom described as a “redistricting arms race”, with Democratic governors in New York and Illinois also vowing retaliatory action.
In his letter, Newsom said the attempt to “rig congressional maps to hold onto power before a single vote is cast in the 2026 election is an affront to American democracy”. He emphasised that he would “happily” stand down if other states abandoned their efforts, but added: “California cannot stand idly by as this power grab unfolds.”
Newsom’s office also issued a snarky all-caps tweet mimicking Trump’s style, warning that if the president did not stand down, California would be forced to lead an effort to redraw its maps to offset the “rigging” in red states. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Trump has defended the Texas plan, arguing he is “entitled to five more seats” because he won the state’s popular vote in the 2024 presidential election.
At a press conference with quorum-breaking Texas lawmakers, Newsom outlined a plan to ask California voters to override existing maps drawn by an independent commission and approve a new proposal creating five more Democratic-leaning seats. He expressed confidence voters would approve the measure and said the state legislature would act in time to get it on the ballot this November.
Meanwhile, in Austin, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows adjourned the session moments after opening it on Monday, marking the fourth failed attempt since Governor Greg Abbott convened a special session to approve a mid-decade redistricting plan aimed at flipping five Democratic-held seats. Burrows said the Department of Public Safety had deployed agents across Texas to locate the absent Democrats, who have civil warrants out for their arrest, but noted: “So far, no one is home.”
