THE GOAL
Get more Democratic governors to stand up with Gavin Newsom against election rigging... or at least take a cue from the great fighting energy he is showing.
BACKGROUND INFO
California Governor, Gavin Newsom, is fighting back hard against the Texas gerrymandering attempt.
Trump has publicly and repeatedly pressured Texas Republican leaders to redraw their congressional map — mid cycle — to more favorably support Republicans. He specifically said he wants 5 new Republican seats.
Currently, California congressional district maps are not drawn by legislators. They are drawn independently by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. California would withdraw from this approach if Texas were to end its redistricting maneuvers.
California’s process will be transparent and public, unlike Texas’s more private approach. Voters will see the proposed maps before casting ballots and have the final say on their adoption. If passed, the act would be temporary - expiring in 2030. It would not be used it Texas or other states keep their original maps.
Newsom hopes other blue states will respond to red-state redistricting in kind.
NOTABLE QUOTES
Gavin Newsom - “We tried to play by a higher set of standards and rules with our independent redistricting, and we believe in that and we are not talking about eliminating that commission. We are talking about emergency measures to respond to what’s happening in Texas and we will nullify what happens in Texas. We will pick up five seats with the consent of the people.”
Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire - “President Trump and Texas Republicans are responsible for all of this. This is not a fight California chose, but it’s a fight California can’t run from. Trump chose to rewrite the rules and Texas Republican leaders are all too happy to do his dirty work. We’ve seen this playbook. When Trump doesn’t have the votes to win an election, he orders others to manufacture them… if Texas moves forward, we will be forced to do the same.”
DNC Chair Ken Martin - “For months, we promised that if Republicans wanted a showdown, they would get a showdown. Well, today, Gavin Newsom and California Democrats sent a booming message to the entire country: we are done fighting with one arm tied behind our back. The Election Rigging Response Act is a game-changer that will ensure Donald Trump and the Republican Party — knowing they’re in political freefall — can’t rig their way through the midterms. It will level the playing field and help make sure voters decide who runs the House of Representatives — not Donald Trump. Facing voters squarely on your record is a hallmark of our democracy, but Republicans are hellbent on avoiding accountability. The onus is now on Donald Trump and the rest of the Republican Party to stop their attempts to change the rules in the middle of the game. The Democratic Party will never stop fighting for free and fair elections, and we thank Governor Newsom and the California Democrats for leveling the playing field. The DNC will be here to support this ballot measure every step of the way.”
AZ Senator Ruben Gallego - “It’s time for Democrats to understand the existential threat.”
MI Senator Elissa Slotkin - “I’m not going to … fight with one arm tied behind my back”
NY Governor Kathy Hochul - “All’s fair in love and war. We are following the rules. We do redistricting every 10 years, but if there are other states that are violating the rules and trying to give themselves an advantage, all I say is I’ll look at it closely with Hakeem Jeffries.”
IL Governor JB Pritzker - “We all ought to stand up against it”
NJ Governor Phil Murphy - “if that’s the way we’re going, we’re from Jersey, baby, and we won’t be laying down.”
MD House Majority Leader - “I’m introducing legislation to redraw Maryland congressional districts if any other state cheats & draws new maps outside of the census period.”
THE NUMBERS
As of March 2025, there are 27 Republican governors and 23 Democratic governors.
States have different numbers of Representatives, determined by population; six states have a single rep, and the remaining 44 have between two and 52. Most states with more than one representative have a combination of Republicans and Democrats in their delegations. As of March 2025, the largest single-party delegation is from Massachusetts, where Democrats hold all nine seats. The largest all-Republican delegation is Oklahoma’s, with five.
California has 52 congressional districts, nine of which are currently represented by Republican congressmen.