California Governor Gavin Newsom escalated a growing national battle over congressional maps on Friday, announcing plans for a November special election that could allow Democrats to redraw districts and “nullify” Texas Republicans’ redistricting efforts.
“Make no mistake—California is moving forward,” Newsom declared at a press conference, standing alongside former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled their state to block a GOP-backed map ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Texas Republicans had hoped to lock in five additional House seats with their proposed boundaries, but the plan has been stalled as Democrats deny a quorum, sparking fines, civil arrest warrants, and political gridlock.
Newsom said he still supports California’s independent redistricting commission, but argued emergency measures are needed to counter what he called Donald Trump’s push to tilt the playing field toward Republicans nationwide.
“We will nullify what happens in Texas,” Newsom said. “They drew first blood—this is our response.”
Representative Zoe Lofgren, chair of California’s Democratic delegation, revealed that new maps—crafted to give Democrats a potential five-seat boost while staying within Voting Rights Act guidelines—will be unveiled next week.
The Texas standoff is already reverberating beyond state borders, with both red and blue states weighing mid-decade map changes—an unusual but not unprecedented move in U.S. politics.
At the press conference, Pelosi accused Trump of “paving over” fundamental freedoms and warned that the fight in Texas is the opening salvo in a broader battle over American democracy.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissed Newsom’s remarks, calling him “a loser of the highest order” and insisting he would “never be president.”
Texas Democrat Ann Johnson struck a defiant tone: “We are running from nothing. We see the danger, and we are running straight for it.”