WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch Gavin Newsom’s Risky Gerrymander Gambit
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Aug 14, 2025 Governor Gavin Newsom unveils a bold plan to redraw congressional maps in California, aiming to counter Texas’s redistricting strategy. The move sparks debate about its potential to reshape electoral dynamics and end the Trump influence. As gerrymandering intensifies, California's complicated political landscape faces unique challenges amid changing demographics. The discussion also touches on how voter sentiment, legal battles, and migration trends from urban to rural areas affect representation, making this a critical moment in the gerrymandering saga.
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Newsom's Mid-Decade Redistricting Gambit
- Gavin Newsom proposes mid-decade redistricting in California to neutralize Texas's Republican map and gain five Democratic seats.
- This move is politically calculated and tied to his national profile and potential presidential ambitions.
California Already Packs Republican Voters
- California's current districts pack Republicans into a small number of compact rural districts, producing a large Democratic seat advantage.
- Creating five more Democratic seats would require extreme, risky mapmaking that could weaken nearby Democratic incumbents.
Put Redistricting To A Voter Referendum
- The legislature would put a ballot initiative asking voters to permit a one-time mid-decade redraw only if Texas acts.
- Voters would need to approve the new map, making this a high-risk political strategy for Democrats.