By Darren Lyn
HOUSTON, United States (AA) – California’s Democratic-controlled legislature passed a redistricting plan Thursday to counter new US congressional maps approved by the state of Texas just a day earlier, according to multiple media reports.
The package of redistricting bills backed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom will give California voters the choice on whether to replace the state's current congressional maps with new ones aimed at creating a total of five Democratic US House seats to cancel out the five would-be seats created by the maps approved by Texas lawmakers.
"We're responding to what occurred in Texas," Newsom told reporters after the legislation was passed. "We're neutralizing what occurred and we're giving the American people a fair chance."
"Because when all things are equal, and we're all playing by the same set of rules, there's no question the Republican Party will be the minority party in the House of Representatives next year," he added, referring to the 2026 midterm elections.
The push for Texas to change its congressional voting maps to be more Republican-friendly came at the urging of President Donald Trump, who is seeking to maintain control of the US House, which Republicans are hanging onto by a razor thin majority of three seats.
While Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called a special session that mandated a vote by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, California is giving voters a choice to make the decision, which could still be rejected when the vote takes place on Nov. 4.
Newsom said giving the voters a choice is the right way to oppose the Trump administration's push to create more Republican House seats, taking a direct swipe at the president.
"Can't win by playing by traditional sets of rules. He plays by no rules," he said of Trump. "And we're standing up to that. We're responding to that. They fired the first shot, Texas."
Under the California legislative package that was passed, voters will be asked to consider a proposed constitutional amendment to override the lines drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission, which voters approved in 2010 to take away power from lawmakers to redraw congressional maps.
Newsom said it is imperative for voters to have the choice to "fight fire with fire" and Democrats are standing behind his battle cry.
"Gov. Newsom didn’t care whether folks would clutch their pearls when he decided to fight fire with fire and level the playing field against this craven, power-hungry White House," said Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin at a news conference.
"His fight is a game changer, a national moment for Democrats to show up for all voters," said Martin.