Overview

• Newsom is asking Californians in a November special election to approve new congressional maps designed to create five additional Democratic seats.
• The move is framed as a counter to Texas, where Republicans advanced a plan to add five GOP districts ahead of the 2026 midterms.
• Democratic strategist Bill Burton warns that off‑cycle turnout patterns could complicate passage, with higher‑propensity Republican voters likelier to show up.
• Critics, including former DNC member Boyd Brown, denounce the effort as partisan map‑rigging that could damage democratic norms and harden polarization.
• Newsom’s sharp, Trump‑mocking social media and high‑profile appearances have elevated him as a leading Democratic foil to President Trump, raising stakes for his national ambitions if the ballot measure fails or fizzles in 2026.