In a tough move, Republicans in Texas set out to re-draw the state’s congressional map in an effort to promote President Trump and the Republican efforts in the 2026 midterm elections.
Gov. Gavin Newsom threatened to respond intimately, competing with California’s blue blue, causing Democrats to lift and offset the power of the Lone Star Bow.
This means removing the political boundaries drawn from the Independent Citizens Commission, which created it nearly two decades ago to evacuate the boundaries from politicians in the state.
Our columnists Mark Z. Barabak and Anita Chabria strongly disagree, but friendly illustrate the wisdom and impact of Newsom’s threatening moves. Here, they made it out.
Balabak: Gavin Newsom – or the 48th President of the United States, who fantasizes himself – perhaps second only to Donald Trump while surfing the political wave. The same goes for repartitioning and retribution.
It might make the partisan democratic heart a racing car (which is part of Newsom’s intention), but for various reasons it’s a bad move. In particular, ignoring the will of California voters, California voters pay tribute to the state’s self-war politicians No MaasWoolen cloth
I understand the animation with the anti-fire attitude that makes partisans support the speech of 48-year-old New York City. But the danger causes wider damage.
Many times in the headline magazine’s actions have been meaningless. This is another one belonging to the waste pile.
chabria: I agree that the odds in Vegas are nothing more than partisan headlines on the side of the matter.
but.
There is a bigger, more important question here, depending on how serious you are about our democracy to danger.
If Mark (I think you tend to at least hope), this will pass, and our next election will be free and fair, but it may land, the idea of accompanying us in the Congressional District is just shocking. This is especially true in California, one of the few states that the people voted to ensure our election map, considering our election map.
But if, like me, you think we are on the brink of losing our democracy to the knife of authoritarianism, or at least an oligarchy to take power, Gerrymandering becomes a form of peaceful resistance.
Newsom recently said: “We can play people who are more than before. We can sit outside the court and talk about the world’s supposed to be, or we can recognize the nature of the existence of this moment” – which makes you speak of his thoughts and frankly about my thoughts.
I’ll dig deeper, but that’s maybe where we start. Do you think our democracy is justified, and what we are witnessing is just an era of dissatisfaction with not lasting harm?
Balabak: Of course I hope so.
I didn’t succumb to Trump’s disgust and my concerns about what he was doing. He is dictatorial. autocratic. Arrogant. Anti-democracy. This doesn’t even go beyond the letter “A”.
But it is important that actions like Newsom threaten the redistricting behaviors that don’t happen in a vacuum. Short-term tactical benefits can lead to long-term pain.
For example: In 2013, Democrats were so frustrated by the Republican lockdown on President Obama’s judicial and executive branch nomination that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid invoked the “nuclear choice.” As Reed asked, the Senate narrowly voted to change its rules and did not allow appeals to presidential nominees.
The result is the entire Joker’s car of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Trump’s cabinet members.
Although Democrats made it clear that the rule changes would not apply to the Supreme Court, once the doors were open, Republicans passed their own ways and removed the taboos of these nominees. The result is Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and the High Court’s 6-3 Trump code conservative super education.
Those who fire at fire risk were severely burned.
If Democrats want to fight in a redistricting situation, Republicans have more ways to get more seats in places like Florida, Missouri and Ohio than Democrats.
chabria: undoubtedly. But it’s as low as possible and if democracy is indeed saved, I’ll pay the price of Heggs, even two. Here is the reality: Congress’s only hope to curb Trump through a democratic process is to transfer at least some power to Democrats in the 2026 election.
If Republicans in Texas managed to repaint up to five new Republican tilted seats under Trump’s pressure — and wouldn’t explode in their faces, that could be the case — the move would increase the chances of the House, while the prospect of authoritarianism ranged from brush fires to wildfires.
The truth is, Gerrymandering is much more common than most people realize. Kevin Johnson, an expert on the Election Reformer Network, recently wrote: “In the 1990s, only 40% of the House of Representatives was considered certainty for one party or the other, and now that number is 83%. That’s because most Gerrymander.
Indeed, the only truly competitive race occurs in states like California, with independent nonpartisans drawing election maps. So to play the Devil’s advocates, we’ve been lost in Gerrymandering in the United States and California.
If future presidents and Congress want to do so, this is a problem that can be solved. But this requires connection with the future president and Congress. I always record it: I don’t care about Republicans or Democrats. I care about democracy.
Is it really bad if California, in a slump, turns Congress into a real check against authoritarianism, and lets fixed cyclists later?
Balabak: Your crystal ball must be more hazy than mine.
I don’t believe that even the gains from five Texas seats guarantee Republican control of homes. (and let I Recorded: I think what Trump and his Texas maid are doing is totally reprehensible. )
Since World War II, the outside world has occupied more than twenty house seats in the midterm elections. Democrats need three points to seize control.
As you suggest, there is even a chance to criticize Republicans’ political plight by making voters too thin, and if there is a big enough blue wave, Democrats might pick up the area.
Speaking of the action backfires, if Californians vote in a special election to cover the committee, it is uncertain that Californians would approve Newsom’s Gerrymander effort.
In today’s environment, surrendering to politicians is a big problem. Moreover, Newsom does not draw on deep reserves of goodwill. Just look at his poll numbers.
He allegedly went to the Democratic House Candidate Sports in South Carolina, even if the state did not have a competitive game. California has about 10 games at least somewhat competitive — but you don’t see Democrats’ efforts to call on their area.
chabria: I don’t have a crystal ball. What I have is a profound hunch, but optimists want your blue waves to have the ability to happen to people’s situations.
Meanwhile, Newsom said Friday that re-dividing is “not bluff” and he is exploring multiple ways.
On this list is a legal gambling. Our current redivision law says that after the census, maps must be drawn every 10 years, but it doesn’t specifically say we can’t be in between. Newsom basically recommends cheating with the Sunset clause: Re-division immediately benefits Democrats, but this will expire when the regular re-division occurs.
It’s violent, probably just tied to the court indefinitely.
But I am frustrated that politicians, experts and even ordinary people continue to see the administration as politics as usual, and I am grateful for the uneasiness of the news, even if partly driven by the personal interests of the 2028 presidential bid. Maybe our democracy has been on the edge before, but that makes the cliff equally dangerous. Our people need to think outside of regular reactions to Republicans, Democrats, cultural wars or partisan divides or any more harmless stressors or partisan divides that have plagued our system in the past.
I like the jab of Newsom is that it forces us to have such conversations and ask ourselves how we fight in different ways?
Because this battle is different.
Balabak: This may sound like Polyanian, but I don’t think these horrible times can be corrected in the ballot box.
Texas may have a competitive U.S. Senate race next year. If Texans don’t like the cruelty of Republican lawmakers and their power, they can send a message by electing Democrats, helping the party overcome odds and control the chamber. This will examine Trump, whether Republicans hang on the house or not.
It is in the hands of voters. If democracy is to be protected and preserved, it is up to them. Don’t deceive politicians.
