California Democrats Propose New Congressional Map in Response to Texas Redistricting Efforts
California Democrats unveiled a proposed congressional map Friday, setting the stage for a potential special election if approved by the state legislature next week. The maps, initially obtained by KCRA 3, were submitted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and represent a direct response to Republican efforts in Texas to reshape their congressional delegation.
The proposal comes after Governor Gavin Newsom launched the “Election Rigging Response Act” at a rally in Los Angeles, signaling a willingness to counter Republican gains in Congress. According to statements from Newsom’s office, California is prepared to “fight fire with fire” if Texas moves forward with plans to add more Republicans to the House of Representatives. Currently, California holds 52 seats in the U.S. House, with Democrats controlling 43 and Republicans holding nine.
However, California law currently prohibits politicians from directly drawing district lines. To enact these changes, Democratic leaders are seeking voter approval for a measure that would temporarily allow the legislature to redraw the map in a special election later this year. The proposed maps were developed by congressional Democrats and their consultants, with an interactive version available at redistrictingpartners.com, led by elections expert Paul Mitchell of Political Data Inc.
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas outlined a swift timeline for consideration: legislation will be printed Monday, August 18th, followed by committee hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday, and anticipated floor votes by Thursday, August 21st. The legislative package includes a constitutional amendment authorizing the map replacement, a statute containing the proposed map itself, and a statute to fund and administer the special election.
The proposed redistricting plan specifically targets five California Republicans: Representatives Doug LaMalfa (District 1), Kevin Kiley (District 3), David Valadao (District 22), Ken Calvert (District 41), and Darrell Issa (District 48). The plan aims to shift the political landscape by altering district boundaries to favor Democratic candidates.
For example, the proposed map would significantly reshape Representative LaMalfa’s district, removing many of his Republican constituents in the northern part of the state and incorporating more Democratic voters along the coast. “How on earth does Modoc County… have any common interest with Marin County?” LaMalfa stated, criticizing the proposed changes as “naked politics at its worst.” Similarly, Representative Kiley’s district would be redrawn to include parts of Democratic-leaning Sacramento County. Kiley confidently asserted, “I will win reelection to the House regardless of the proposed changes to my district.”
The potential impact extends to other districts as well. Sources close to Congressman Ami Bera indicated he is considering a run in District 3 if the new maps are approved, alongside continuing to represent his current constituents. Bera emphasized the need to counter Republican gerrymandering efforts, stating, “We must stop Donald Trump and Texas Republicans from gerrymandering their way to a House majority in 2026.”
The practice of redrawing district lines for political advantage, known as gerrymandering, is typically conducted after a U.S. Census every ten years. However, this proposal represents a mid-decade effort to respond to actions in Texas. If approved by voters on November 4th, the new map would take effect for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections, contingent on Texas or another Republican state enacting redistricting changes before the end of the decade. California’s current redistricting process, established through ballot initiatives in 2008 and 2010, is overseen by a citizen-led independent commission. This proposed change would temporarily suspend that system.
