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Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs legislation putting congressional redistricting on November's ballot, on August 21, 2025 in Sacramento.
(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
'Fighting Fire With Fire': California Puts Retaliatory Redistricting on November Ballot
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the move is aimed at countering President Donald Trump's "attempt to rig the 2026 election and redistrict his way out of accountability in states like Texas."
Aug 21, 2025
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday swiftly signed legislation passed by state lawmakers to let voters decide this November whether to approve a redrawn congressional map designed to counter Texas Republicans' gerrymandering at the behest of President Donald Trump.
"California is countering [Trump's] attempt to rig the 2026 election and redistrict his way out of accountability in states like Texas," Newsom said on social media. "We're fighting fire with fire—giving the power to the people to fight back and demand nationwide independent redistricting."
The move followed Wednesday's approval by the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature of a Trump-backed plan to redraw the state's congressional map to create five new Republican districts ahead of next year's midterm elections. The California map aims to win five more Democratic seats in 2026.
"Let me be crystal clear, we don't want this fight, and we didn't choose this fight, but with our democracy on the line, we cannot and will not run away from this fight," Democratic Assemblyman Marc Berman (D-23) said prior to Thursday's vote.
National Democrats welcomed California's move, with Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin saying: "This isn't just about California. The basic premise of Americans—instead of Donald Trump—choosing their elected officials is at stake."
While some progressives, including former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner, have spoken out against retaliatory redistricting, many others cheered California's fight.
"The response by Democrats in California to counter-balance is being triggered by a blatant GOP plot to steal the 2026 midterms," former US Labor Secretary Robert Reich wrote on X. "This isn't a race to the bottom. It's a means of avoiding the bottom."An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
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robert reichgavin newsomcaliforniatexasdonald trumpelection 2026nina turnergerrymanderingdemocratic national committeerepublican partyken martin
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday swiftly signed legislation passed by state lawmakers to let voters decide this November whether to approve a redrawn congressional map designed to counter Texas Republicans' gerrymandering at the behest of President Donald Trump.
"California is countering [Trump's] attempt to rig the 2026 election and redistrict his way out of accountability in states like Texas," Newsom said on social media. "We're fighting fire with fire—giving the power to the people to fight back and demand nationwide independent redistricting."
The move followed Wednesday's approval by the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature of a Trump-backed plan to redraw the state's congressional map to create five new Republican districts ahead of next year's midterm elections. The California map aims to win five more Democratic seats in 2026.
"Let me be crystal clear, we don't want this fight, and we didn't choose this fight, but with our democracy on the line, we cannot and will not run away from this fight," Democratic Assemblyman Marc Berman (D-23) said prior to Thursday's vote.
National Democrats welcomed California's move, with Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin saying: "This isn't just about California. The basic premise of Americans—instead of Donald Trump—choosing their elected officials is at stake."
While some progressives, including former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner, have spoken out against retaliatory redistricting, many others cheered California's fight.
"The response by Democrats in California to counter-balance is being triggered by a blatant GOP plot to steal the 2026 midterms," former US Labor Secretary Robert Reich wrote on X. "This isn't a race to the bottom. It's a means of avoiding the bottom."From Your Site Articles
- 'You Have Poked the Bear': Defiant Gavin Newsom Puts Trump on Notice in Speech Pushing New Maps ›
- Watchdog Unveils Standards for Countermeasures to 'Authoritarian' GOP Gerrymandering ›
- In Response to GOP Gerrymandering, O'Rourke Calls for Dems to 'Match Fire with Fire' ›
- DLCC Backs Redistricting to Fight GOP's 'Craven' Gerrymandering Scheme ›
- 'Playing With Fire': Gavin Newsom Warns Trump He Will Wipe California GOP Off the Map ›
- Newsom Says He's Moving Ahead With New California Maps That 'Will Be Devastating for MAGA' ›
- To Check Trump's Power Grab, Progressives Make Final Push for Prop 50 in California | Common Dreams ›
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday swiftly signed legislation passed by state lawmakers to let voters decide this November whether to approve a redrawn congressional map designed to counter Texas Republicans' gerrymandering at the behest of President Donald Trump.
"California is countering [Trump's] attempt to rig the 2026 election and redistrict his way out of accountability in states like Texas," Newsom said on social media. "We're fighting fire with fire—giving the power to the people to fight back and demand nationwide independent redistricting."
The move followed Wednesday's approval by the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature of a Trump-backed plan to redraw the state's congressional map to create five new Republican districts ahead of next year's midterm elections. The California map aims to win five more Democratic seats in 2026.
"Let me be crystal clear, we don't want this fight, and we didn't choose this fight, but with our democracy on the line, we cannot and will not run away from this fight," Democratic Assemblyman Marc Berman (D-23) said prior to Thursday's vote.
National Democrats welcomed California's move, with Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin saying: "This isn't just about California. The basic premise of Americans—instead of Donald Trump—choosing their elected officials is at stake."
While some progressives, including former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner, have spoken out against retaliatory redistricting, many others cheered California's fight.
"The response by Democrats in California to counter-balance is being triggered by a blatant GOP plot to steal the 2026 midterms," former US Labor Secretary Robert Reich wrote on X. "This isn't a race to the bottom. It's a means of avoiding the bottom."From Your Site Articles
- 'You Have Poked the Bear': Defiant Gavin Newsom Puts Trump on Notice in Speech Pushing New Maps ›
- Watchdog Unveils Standards for Countermeasures to 'Authoritarian' GOP Gerrymandering ›
- In Response to GOP Gerrymandering, O'Rourke Calls for Dems to 'Match Fire with Fire' ›
- DLCC Backs Redistricting to Fight GOP's 'Craven' Gerrymandering Scheme ›
- 'Playing With Fire': Gavin Newsom Warns Trump He Will Wipe California GOP Off the Map ›
- Newsom Says He's Moving Ahead With New California Maps That 'Will Be Devastating for MAGA' ›
- To Check Trump's Power Grab, Progressives Make Final Push for Prop 50 in California | Common Dreams ›
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