Gavin Newsom has expressed his concerns over Trump’s suggested changes to Texas’ congressional district map.
With forecasts indicating a Democratic victory in the House of Representatives, the Trump administration appears determined to prevent this outcome before the 2026 midterm elections.
Currently, Republicans maintain a slim majority in the House with 219 of the 435 seats, leaving Democrats with 212.
Texas has been in the spotlight recently due to plans to alter its congressional map. According to the BBC, Republicans currently control 25 out of 38 congressional seats in the state. If the new plans are implemented, this could increase to 30 seats.
The aim of Texas Republicans is to redefine the boundaries of legislative districts at federal, state, and local levels. Newsweek explains that this redistricting typically occurs every ten years, but can also take place after five years.
The proposed map would split Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio—major metropolitan areas that lean Democratic—into at least four predominantly Republican districts each.
There are concerns that if Texas succeeds, other Republican-dominated states might adopt similar strategies. However, California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, is prepared to resist.
Newsom has written to the president urging him to dissuade Texas’ governor from implementing new congressional maps.
“You are playing with fire, risking the destabilization of our democracy, while knowing that California can neutralize any gains you hope to make,” Newsom stated in his correspondence. “This attempt to rig congressional maps to hold onto power before a single vote is cast in the 2026 election is an affront to American society.”
He continued: “This is not what the Founders envisioned, and California cannot stand idly by as this power grab unfolds. I do not do this lightly, as I believe legislative district maps should be drawn by independent, citizen-led efforts, as we have done in California for the last two decades.
“If you still not stand down, I will be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states. But if the other states call of their redistricting efforts, we will happily do the same.”
Newsom concluded the letter, asserting that American democracy would benefit if the current maps were preserved.