California Legislature Approves Controversial Redistricting Plan to Counter Texas, Paving Way for November Vote on 5 House Seats

Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom's administration announced on August 22, 2025, that a new congressional redistricting plan, dubbed "MY MAPS," has been approved by the California State Legislature. This significant legislative action sets the stage for a special election in November 2025, where California voters will decide on the proposed maps. The initiative is explicitly designed to secure an additional five U.S. House seats for Democrats, serving as a direct countermeasure to a similar partisan redistricting effort recently advanced by Republicans in Texas.

The announcement, conveyed through the Governor Newsom Press Office, featured highly informal and self-congratulatory language. Governor Newsom declared:

"WOW!!! MY MAPS (THE BEST MAPS EVER MADE) WILL SOON PASS IN THE GREATEST LEGISLATURE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD (NOT JUST AMERICA). AMERICA CAN THANK ME (GAVIN C. NEWSOM) AND TWO VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE — MAGIC MIKE & RAINMAKER ROBERT, WHO LEAD THE LEGISLATURE — TOTAL LEGENDS!!!"

He further asserted, "THESE ARE “PERFECT, BEAUTIFUL” MAPS. BETTER THAN COLUMBUS, BETTER THAN GOOGLE MAPS, BETTER THAN APPLE MAPS... PEOPLE ARE ALREADY SCREAMING “MAMA! MAMA!” AND I SAY, “NO, I AM YOUR DADDY!!!” The Governor attributed the legislative success to himself and two key figures, "Magic Mike" and "Rainmaker Robert," identified as Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, respectively.

California's redistricting process is typically overseen by an independent, non-partisan California Citizens Redistricting Commission, established by voter initiatives in 2008 and 2010 to minimize political influence. The current legislative push, however, temporarily bypasses this commission, with Democrats characterizing it as an "emergency" strategy. This move comes as a direct response to Texas Republicans, who have advanced their own redrawn congressional map to potentially add five Republican seats, intensifying a national "tit-for-tat" gerrymandering battle.

The legislation, which rapidly passed through both chambers, has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans and proponents of non-partisan redistricting. Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a key figure in establishing the independent commission, has publicly voiced his strong opposition to the current plan, arguing against partisan map-drawing. Despite the controversy and objections, Governor Newsom emphasized that "the people will vote," referring to the upcoming November referendum, framing it as an opportunity for Californians to determine their own fate in this political contest.

If approved by voters in November, the new maps would temporarily alter California's congressional districts. The stated goal is for the state to return to the independent commission's process after the 2030 census, once the immediate partisan imbalance is addressed. This escalating conflict over congressional district boundaries between the nation's two most populous states highlights a growing trend of mid-decade map adjustments, with several other states also considering similar partisan maneuvers ahead of upcoming elections.